14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, May 13: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Thursday has criticized Jamaat-i-Islami for giving a strike call for Friday. It accused the party of resorting to violence and converting Karachi into another Baghdad, Kabul or Tora Bora.

Addressing a news conference at the MQM headquarters 'Nine Zero', the joint in-charge and other members of the MQM coordination committee claimed that the strike call was a conspiracy to sabotage the democratic dispensation.

They claimed that the JI, after suffering the defeat in the by-elections, wanted to punish people. They urged the government and law-enforcement agencies to take measures for the protection of life and property of people.

The committee members were of the view that violence during the by-elections, as well as the May 7 bomb blast at a mosque, was a reaction to the Wana operation.

They alleged that the strike was aimed at destabilizing the provincial and federal government to scuttle the political dispensation. They further alleged that the religious party was involved in the mosque blast.

Claiming that the MQM had created a peaceful atmosphere in the city, they maintained that religious parties, especially the JI, were out to disturb peace by fomenting sectarian animosity.

The committee members also produced relatives of Noor Siddiqui and Waqar, the two MQM activists who were killed during election violence, before the newsmen. They also gave details of election-related violence affecting the MQM workers.