17 October 2004	Sunday	02 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 16: Tension prevails in the city and people fear clashes between Jamat-i-Islami and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement after police registered a case against Dr Pervez Mehmood on Friday and raided his residence to arrest him on Saturday morning.

The police in a pre-dawn raid at the residence of Liaquatabad Town Nazim Dr Pervez Mehmood failed to arrest him as he was not at home.

Dr Pervez said: "I was not at my home when police raided at around 4:30am. They shouted and harassed not only my family, but also the neighbourhood."

City police chief Tariq Jamil expressed ignorance about the raid and said: "I don't know about it."

People were of the view that the situation had been worsening since the detention of the town nazim at the TPO North Nazimabad office on Thursday for six hours and thereafter registration of a case to implicate him in firing.

Police said that a case was registered on the complaint of a mobile officer of Shamim Shaheed police post. According to him, he was on a routine patrolling when he saw Dr Pervez along with a number of his followers near Abbasi Shaheed Hospital firing in the air and delivering speeches against the government. The officer claimed that he refrained him to do so, but, Dr Pervez did not stop.

However, Dr Pervez refuted the police claim and said that a false case was registered at the behest of the governor, who had become a party instead of the provincial head. He said that the registration of the case was a continuation of vindictive politics. He alleged that the Muttahida and its governor wanted to halt the development work carried out by the city government since it came in the office through fair elections.

Talking on his mobile phone from an undisclosed location, Dr Pervez asserted that registration of false cases would not stop him struggling against terrorism and extortion. He expressed his apprehensions that more false cases would be instituted against him in the days to come.

Talking to Dawn, Tariq Jamil said that Dr Pervez was nominated in an FIR that was registered during May 12th by-polls.

Commenting on his detention on Thursday night, the CCPO said:"We have not detained him on instructions of the governor. Dr Pervez is wanted in an FIR and since the registration of the case, he remained in hiding. Incidentally, he came to the TPO North Nazimabad office on Thursday and the TPO detained him," he added.

Asked as to why he was not arrested when he had been detained at the TPO office, Mr Jamil said since the FIR was sealed of May 12, no investigation had been carried out and the police could not collect evidence against him.

About the new FIR, he said: "I don't know whether Dr Pervez is nominated in it. As far as I know, a number of people gathered outside TPO office during his detention on Thursday and when he was released, they moved in a shape of procession."

The city police chief was not sure whether Dr Pervez was arrested or not. He said: "We are looking into it as he (Dr Pervez) is wanted in cases. We will take action against him as per law."

The drama began when Dr Pervez along with North Nazimabad Town Nazim Fasihuddin Siddiqui went to get two activists of IJT released from North Nazimabad police custody on Thursday evening. When the police refused to release them, the nazims went to TPO office.

According to the town nazims, TPO Imran Ahmar was instructed by the high-ups to detain Dr Pervez. They said it was shocking to the TPO and the police had to look for a case against Dr Pervez.

CLARIFICATION: A spokesman for the Governor's House termed the accusations against Governor Ishratul Ibad baseless and misleading, adds APP.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, the spokesman pointed out that action against any accused was taken in accordance with the provisions of law. He made it clear that the governor did not put any pressure for the release or arrest of anyone.