KARACHI, Nov 19: After ten years and amid massive security, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement waved its flags in the “no-go” areas of Landhi on Tuesday.

Some of the families that had left the areas in the aftermath of the 1992 operation, made a come back, though not without resistance by the supporters of the group that had compelled them to leave the areas and that itself has been made to leave now by the law enforcement authorities, on the instructions of President General Musharraf. The top Haqiqi leadership has gone underground.

After the authorities had sealed Baitul Hmaza— the headquarters of the “Haqiqi” or the Mohajir Qaumi Movement headed by Afaq Ahmad and Aamir Khan, the top leadership of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, with over 1000 supporters and activists including about 50 displaced families, set out from Nine Zero in a caravan of automobiles, accompanied by local and foreign media, to raise their flag and open party offices in the areas hitherto forbidden to them.

The Muttahida sources claimed that their two supporters— Asghar and Rashid—were injured in the firing by the rival faction in Malir/Saudabad.

Muttahida leaders called it a historic day and a victory of righteousness, but not without expressing reservations about the authorities’ failure to arrest the leaders of the rival faction. End of the “no-go areas” was one of the conditions the Muttahida had put for its support in government formation. General Pervez Musharraf had ordered the security agencies to meet the demand. The operation was consequently launched and met its logical end on Monday when the rangers sealed Baitual Hamza. It is not yet clear what the situation is in Shah Faisal Colony, Lines Area and Liaquatabad.

In a statement the MQM’s London-based chief Altaf Hussain termed it a great victory for those “who went through “the worst kind of terror”. He declared amnesty for those who had joined the breakaway faction “under duress” and directed them to contact persons in charge of the sectors, so that they could be brought back into the fold of the party.

He directed party supporters to ensure that those who lived in the areas were not ill-treated. The caravan of the Muttahida first hoisted its flag at a former sector office in Majeed Colony near Landhi, raised slogans and carried out wall-chalking. By Iftar time the caravan had reached the sealed Baitul Hamza, from various side-alleys because of the security barricades put up by the paramilitary rangers.

Several pro-Afaq women chanted slogans against Altaf Hussain and pelted the procession with stones, rotten eggs and tomatoes. Deputy convener of the coordination committee, Mrs Nasreen Jaleel, was struck in the head. The situation was saved by the intervention of the rangers. Muttahida supporters too raised slogans in support of their leader.

Addressing the crowd at Babar Market near Baitul Hamza, senior deputy convener of the Muttahida coordination committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, advised the supporters to remain calm and show restraint.

He declared that if the assurances given by Islamabad and the provincial government were not honoured, the party would review its future strategy.

Nasreen Jaleel was critical of the role of the rangers and the government’s “deliberate failure to nab Haqiqi leaders”.

Mr Shoaib Bokahri, who is also a deputy convener, also addressed the supporters and thanked them for their steadfastness.

Dr Farooq Sattar also announced the formation of three committees to oversee the resettlement of the affected families and function of the party offices. The Korangi committee will be headed by Mr Mohammad Hussain, the Malir committee by Mrs Nasreen Jaleel. Dr Farooq Sattar will look after the affairs of the Landhi committee.

They set up a camp office at the former Khidmat-i-Khalq office . The local administration facilitated the reopening of some sector offices which had been taken over by the Haqiqi.

Meanwhile, Afaq Ahmed and Aamir Khan, leaders of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, have vowed to continue their struggle and criticized the authorities for launching an operation against their party to ensure support of the Muttahida for the formation of the PML-Q led government.

In a late night development, Afaq Ahmed, chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, through a fax message asked his supporters to be ready to go to Azizabad after the election of prime minister.

“It is now our turn to visit Azizabad. Workers should prepare themselves to go there after the prime minister is elected,” said Afaq Ahmed, hinting at the feared counter move against the leadership of Altaf Hussain. He said that with the connivance of the security forces, unruly elements had occupied Babar Market and were harassing the people there.