Political grievances: Party victimisation continues at Rangers’ hands, says Sattar

KARACHI:

A day after talks between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the federal government collapsed, a key leader of the party justified the MQM  move to pull out of the negotiations, saying it had no option left but to resign in the wake of “continual victimisation” at the hands of the paramilitary Rangers.

“Quitting the assemblies were the only option left for us as injustice continued and no one was listening to our grievances,” said Dr Farooq Sattar who has resigned as a lawmaker.

Sattar, who was heading his party’s negotiating committee, said that the raids and arrests were continuing. He felt that the raids had witnessed an increase. “We want to ask when will all this end? There is a limit to it. Also there is a limit to our tolerance.” he added.

So far, some 4,000 workers have been arrested. Of these, 150 men are still missing.

He pointed out that on Friday, the Rangers brought to court two party workers who were arrested months ago, and are now in 90-day custody. According to the party, Mirza Zeeshan Baig was arrested on January 2 while Tanveer Ahmed was arrested on January 13. He said that the petitions filed by the families were proof of this.

The MQM leader called the arrests and raids a violation of human rights, constitution and the law. He insisted that his party wanted the targeted operation to move in the right direction.

‘Revoke PM’s powers’

Addressing MQM members at the Lal Qila Ground on Friday evening, party chief Altaf Hussain said that before asking the party’s parliamentarians to revoke their resignations, the government should revoke the powers of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Altaf said the premier could issue orders for the reopening of MQM offices, but he isn’t doing so. “If Nawaz is under pressure, then he should tell the nation about it. If he won’t tell the truth, then I shall bring the facts out in the open.”

He said the MQM is the third major party of the country. “But there has been an unannounced ban on our political activities.”

Quoting the federal government, the MQM chief said it could neither remove the ban on the party’s political and welfare activities nor lift the ban on the airing of Altaf’s speeches. “If the government can’t do anything, then why is it holding talks with us?”

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