KARACHI, May 6: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has pledged to work for the unity of all Sindhis and held religious and extremist parties responsible for the problems being faced by the people of this province.

Addressing election rallies of the MQM in three different constituencies by telephone here on Wednesday night, called upon the audience to seal the fate of extremist religious elements once and for all.

A large number of party supporters had turned up at Liaquatabad, Pak Colony and Surjani town to listen to Mr Hussain who claimed the turnout reflected confidence of masses in the MQM which was striving for a revolution of middle-class.

Criticizing religious parties, especially those claiming to represent the people of Karachi, the MQM chief remarked that they were on the run and would meet their doomsday on May 12, the date of by-elections.

Reiterating MQM's pledge to promote Sindhi-Mohajir unity, Mr Hussain said that his party had taken practical steps in this regard by nominating Sindhi-speaking candidates for more than one constituency.

He accused religious parties of siding with the Establishment in destabilizing Karachi, and claimed that now when the MQM, especially its governor, had restored peace in the metropolis, the same parties were indulging in conspiracy to achieve their objective.

"They are involved in target killing and terrorism," said he alleged, and claimed that these parties had killed an MQM activists in Liaquatabad on Wednesday. He also alleged that extremists were bent upon destroying the good work done by the governor, and appealed to the president and the prime minister to order an inquiry into the killing of MQM activists.

"The role the religious parties are playing is aimed at promoting terrorism," he added. The people, he said, had understood their game and unmasked their faces. These parties were upset at the growing popularity of the MQM in the interior of Sindh, a trend which was evident from its victory in the recent local bodies by-elections in Larkana, Dadu and other areas.

Mr Hussain expressed his happiness over more and more people joining the MQM and claimed that the day was not far off when the party would have a national appeal. Those sowing the seeds of dissent in the peaceful land of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai would be wiped out, he declared.

He said that the day the MQM assumed authority at national level, all problems being faced by working journalists would be solved.