Premier’s ‘lack of concern’ irks MQM

Despite PM’s cold shoulder party to reach capital for talks


Our Correspondent August 21, 2015
PHOTO: ONLINE

KARACHI:


Members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were irked and disappointed as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s brief visit to Karachi ended without any assurances to the party regarding their grievances.


“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left without answering our questions,” said party leader Dr Farooq Sattar at a press conference at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Thursday.



The MQM is irked as the premier left without discussing their demands which include formation of the monitoring committee, release of their missing workers or investigating the extrajudicial killings of its activists. But despite the premier’s cold shoulder, MQM would still go ahead with its plan of meeting government officials in Islamabad.

Read: MQM resignations — are they reversible?

Sattar while talking to The Express Tribune said that the party would go to Islamabad to hold talks regarding their demands. “We have been assured by Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the government has good intentions. So we will go to Islamabad and fulfill our commitment with Maulana.”

He reiterated that their workers were being arrested illegally, and their families were not being informed about their whereabouts.

“On what grounds are the workers being arrested? Where are they being kept and why are their families not given any information about them?”

He said that the party is not upset that the premier left without meeting them, but was disappointed that their issues were not paid heed to. “Our complaint is that the constitution and the law are being violated, injustice is rampant yet no action is being taken.”

Speaking about continuous raids and arrests, Sattar pointed out that more than a dozen workers were arrested from Shah Faisal, Landhi, Korangi late on Wednesday night.

Read: Nawaz remains cool to MQM demand for watchdog

“We want transparency in the operation. Towards whom did the premier hint that the operation would not be stopped? The MQM has never demanded that the operation be ended. In fact, we were the first ones who called for initiating an operation.”

The MQM also lamented against the unofficial ban on Altaf Hussain’s speeches on television, and said that they would be going to court against it, and would be protesting against the ban and PEMRA at the Karachi Press Club on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2015. 

COMMENTS (4)

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Its good that the MQM now realize as to how the people must feel.......because for over 7 long years and it still continues the government of Sindh ( which the MQM supported right up to now ) has not just ' lack of concern ' for the people but utter disdain for them as well.
Imran Qadri | 8 years ago | Reply Its understandable why MQM is irked,Its self exiled leader in UK has limited access to his bulging bank accounts as most of them are blocked coz money laundering investigation is underway and black money proceeds from from extortion, racketeering, land grabbing forced collections in the name of zakat, fitra etc is all time low thanks to successful operation against terrorists. Rangers is successfully going after criminal network which was used to fund and finance terrorist activities in Karachi. Obviously with funds running dry MQM desperately wants some breathing space and wishes that its lads be allowed to collect animal hides worth Billions(which they forcefully collect through threat & intimidation), if that is allowed then all the hard work done by Rangers in operation will go down the drain and it would be really unfortunate.
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ