January 3, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 2, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 2: Sunni Tehreek (ST) on Monday accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of continuously killing its leaders, Ulema and workers in Karachi and warned if killers of its workers were not arrested within days, country-wide protest campaign would be launched.

Addressing a press conference with Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khuhro, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Secretary General National National Party, PDP President Basharat Mirza and others, ST leader Iftikhar Bhatti criticized the Sindh government, especially Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui for his claims of peace in Karachi.

He said since the establishment of Sindh coalition government, Muttahida Qaumi Movement had unleashed a reign of terror against ST, and other political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamat-i-Islami, and their workers were being killed time and again.

The ST leader said that the police were patronizing and facilitating terrorists in killing workers and office-bearers of ST.

He gave a detailed list of slain workers, office-bearers, Ulema, doctors and teachers associated with ST and questioned if police and other law enforcing agencies were not providing protection to them, what should be the other course of action for parties in the opposition for protection of their people.

Nisar Khuhro said it was highly condemnable that players in present government were killing their own people openly or secretly in Waziristan, Balochistan and Karachi.

He said that the ST leaders were justified in accusing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of killing of its workers as there was a long list of political leaders, workers, Ulema, doctors, and people from other walks of life having different political affiliations, who were killed but their murderers were not arrested yet.

Mir Hasil Bizenjo said in the wake of Oct 8 earthquake, it was revealed to whole world that helicopters were not available for the government to carry out relief work in Azad Kashmir and now when people were dying of cold in those areas, gunship helicopters were being used against innocent people of Balochistan.

PDP leader Basharat Mirza also spoke and announced his support to ST at all forums.—PPI