Victimisation? MQM decries govt silence over workers’ arrests

Farooq Sattar says Sindh govt's indifference shows that raids have its approval

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has said that the silence of the Sindh government over the recent arrests of party workers demonstrates that the raids are being conducted with the government's approval.

"If the Sindh government is not behind this, it should clarify its position," said MQM Rabita Committee member Dr Farooq Sattar at a press conference at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Saturday. "It is indifferent to the recent raids."

According to the parliamentarian, there are 700 party workers in jail at the moment, while 20 others have become victims of extrajudicial killings. He said that after limiting the party's political activities, the law enforcement agencies were now targeting the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF).

"KKF volunteers and workers are being targeted," claimed Sattar. "People who have no criminal cases or complaints registered against them are being arrested." He added that while other welfare organisations were being allowed to collect donations in Ramazan, only the KKF was being accused of doing so forcefully.

"Under the pretext of the targeted operation, our workers are being arrested. It has become clear that the operation is only against us while terrorists roam around the city openly," he alleged. "The people of Karachi cannot tolerate this anymore."

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2015.