KARACHI, May 19: The coordination committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Monday accused activists of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) of resorting to gun running and terrorism to sabotage the June 22 by-elections.
It alleged that on Sunday, the Haqiqi activists attacked the car of MPA Faisal Sabzwari in Landhi 3-1/2 and resorted to firing, in the presence of rangers, on Muttahida offices near Madina Masjid, Landhi.
It also mentioned similar incidents of terrorism in other parts of the constituency and took exception to describing the clash between Haqiqi activists and the police as “a clash between Muttahida and Haqiqi factions.”
The coordination committee maintained the incidents proved that the rival faction enjoyed support of some government agencies.
It appealed to President Musharraf, Prime Minister Jamali, chief election commissioner and chief minister of Sindh to take serious notice of these incidents.
The Haqiqi faction has given no account of the incidents.
In the meantime, the police on Monday said: “The Haqiqi terrorists are reportedly trying to create terror in Landhi by committing frequently criminal acts including firing in the air, robberies and Bhatta collection.”
In a press release on Monday, the Director Press for the Central Police Office, Sindh, said: “The SHO Landhi has so far succeeded in arresting active terrorists of Haqiqi, Mohammad Yamin alias Chuno, Sector In-charge Liaquatabad; Sajid; Rehan, sector member Liaquatabad; Hassan Raza, guard of Afaq Ahmed; Rao Azam, guard of the late MNA Mehmood Qureshi; and Saleem Light, in-charge legal aid committee Haqiqi. The suspects are being thoroughly interrogated.”
The director press further stated: “On 18-5-2003, Muttahida Qaumi Movement opened their offices in Unit 84 and 86, Landhi, where a large number of persons welcomed them. At about 8pm, some terrorists of MQM Haqiqi resorted to aerial firing in surrounding of these units. They also fired at the car of Muttahida MPA Faisal Sabzwari, which was being driven by his driver who fortunately survived. The MPA was not in the car.”
He said: “At about 8:30pm Haqiqi terrorists Tariq Batta, Asim, Zubair Khan, Dastagir, Nadeem Peter and others also fired at SHO Landhi and his staff in Unit No. 86, Landhi No. 3-1/2. The SHO returned the fire but the suspects fled taking advantage of darkness and leaving seven motorbikes, of them two were found stolen.”
He claimed that Inspector Anwar Hussain Jaffri of CID was on usual criminal intelligence duty in the area. Anwar was fired upon at around 9:30pm. He returned the fire. As a result, Zamir Khan, an ‘Haqiqi terrorist’ was killed while his accomplices fled. A motorbike and a Kalashnikov rifle were recovered.
Sources said Anwar Hussain Jaffri, the then SHO Landhi, had earlier been suspended in April and a departmental inquiry was initiated against him in the custodial death of Saleemuddin. An activist of Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Saleemuddin was picked up by Landhi police and subjected to torture. He died in Landhi police custody. The inquiry report has not been made public so far and Anwar Jaffri was not only reinstated but posted in Crime Investigation Department of Sindh police, the sources added.
TENSION: Landhi remained in the grip of tension on Monday as a number of people attended funeral prayer of Zamir Khan, who was later buried in a local graveyard.
Police and rangers were deployed in the area to maintain law and order and meet any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, the police also raided a house where some leaders of MQM-H were addressing a press conference in Landhi. The leaders escaped arrest.
