MQM’s organising committee empowers its militant wing, allege Rangers

MQM claims 'state terrorism' by Rangers was increasing day-by-day, demands release of its seventh sector incharge

KARACHI: Hours after arresting Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Landhi sector incharge Rukunuddin, the Rangers in a statement alleged that the party’s organising committee empowers its militant wing.

The Rangers, which has stepped up its crackdown against extortion collected under the garb of forcefully taking charity, had reportedly arrested Rukunuddin on Saturday evening before moving him to an undisclosed location.

Rukunuddin, who MQM said was arrested while returning from an Iftar event at his brother’s home in Korangi, is the party's seventh sector in charge to be detained by the paramilitary force in the past one week.

Rangers, in a statement released early on Sunday morning, said that it was not targeting any particular political party and that it was conducting its security operation free of any ethnic, linguistic, religious or political motivation. Instead, the operation was specifically against militant wings of organisations.

“MQM’s organising committee empowers its militant wing, which is why its sector incharges and unit incharges are being arrested,” the statement explained.

The paramilitary force claimed that some of these men were also surrendering voluntarily. The statement added that all arrested men were afforded their legal rights, and will soon be presented before a magistrate.

The MQM Rabita Committee, in a statement on Saturday, condemned Rukunuddin’s arrest and claimed that ‘state terrorism’ by the Rangers against the party was increasing day-by-day.

They further demanded his release and a stop to the practice of arresting its innocent workers.