Dismayed: PTI condemns attack on its leader in Karachi

The party criticises the MQM at a rally in front of Press Club.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Punjab chapter held a rally on Wednesday in front of Lahore Press Club against Tuesday’s attack on their leader Imran Ismail in Karachi, allegedly by workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Several party leaders, including PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry, secretary general Yasmin Rashid, information secretary Andleeb Abbas and MPA Shanila Ruth, and party workers attended the rally.

Speaking to the protesters, Chaudhry said the attack on Ismail’s convoy showed the manner in which MQM chief Altaf Hussain and his party operated in Karachi. He said the people of Karachi would never forgive Hussain for ‘ruining’ the city and their lives for more than 35 years.

He said the PTI could never forget the murder of its leader Zahra Shahid Hussain. He said the PTI’s public meeting in Karachi’s Jinnah Ground would be the “beginning of the end for the Karachi mafia”.

“The people of Karachi will soon have a city free of fear… the MQM’s time is up.”

Yasmin Rashid said it was regrettable that the PTI was being stopped from holding a rally on Jinnah Ground.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2015.