Pakistan

Operation not against a particular party: Nisar extends talks offer to MQM

Says neither Rangers nor Pak Army are against the political party; MQM boycotts session over 'extra judicial killings'

Web Desk August 10, 2015

Interior minister says neither Rangers nor Pakistan Army are targeting MQM. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar has reiterated that neither Rangers nor Pakistan Army nor the ongoing security operation in Karachi was against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) adding that the government was ready to sit down with the political party to discuss persisting issues and resolve them.

Addressing the National Assembly on Monday, Nisar said the problem lies not with the paramilitary force but with speeches of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Express News reported.

"MQM has no control over what their leader says in his speeches from London," the interior minister lamented.

Read: Altaf defaming Pakistan and its institutions: Nisar

He furthered that the government has credible evidence gathered from Nine Zero during the Rangers' raid there and which suspects they went there for.

"We are ready to make that evidence public," Nisar said and added that there has to be some accountability of the arms recovered from MQM headquarters.

Read: Blame game: MQM lashes out at Nisar

On August 1, the interior minister had said that the purpose of MQM chief's speech was to defame Pakistan as well as its institutions.

“Altaf Hussain’s speech from London was a humiliation for the country,” he said, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.

He added that Altaf blamed the military for creating rifts in the party, and invited India to intervene in Karachi’s affairs.

MQM boycotts NA session

Meanwhile, MQM parliamentarian Syed Ali Raza Abidi said the party has boycotted the National Assembly session in protest against, what he termed, extra judicial killing, and Kasur tragedy.