KARACHI, May 11: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Friday evening finalised arrangements for what it described would be a peaceful rally in the city on Saturday, saying that it was well prepared to avoid any untoward incident during the procession.
“We have completed our preparations to avoid any clash or confrontation with anyone and we will remain peaceful to make the rally a success,” said MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, responding to a question regarding the tense environment prevailing in the metropolis ahead of the MQM rally and a planned visit by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, to Karachi on May 12.
He was briefing newsmen regarding arrangements for the rally near Tibet Centre on M.A. Jinnah Road, which will be the terminating point of the rally. MQM chief Altaf Hussain will address the participants.
He said that the route of the rally is from the Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum to Tibet Centre, but MQM workers and supporters would bring out rallies from their respective localities to reach the venue.
He maintained that every party would equally be responsible for any untoward incident on Saturday.
Criticising the opposition parties, Dr Sattar said that they were exploiting the judiciary crisis in the same manner as they had misused Islam for their political motives.
“Opposition parties have brought the matter of the court to the road. Now it is an open contest and the MQM will win it,” he claimed.
Dr Sattar said that the CJ and Sindh High Court Bar Association President Abrar Hasan should take notice of the opposition’s plans to hijack their programme.
“Who will be responsible for any mischief during the CJ’s welcome?” he questioned.
He said the presidential reference against the CJ was not a political issue and it should be decided legally.
“The people of Karachi and Sindh will participate in large numbers in the MQM peace rally to foil the nefarious designs of the opposition’s religious and political parties, who want to derail the democratic process in the country,” he said.
He maintained that compared to the opposition parties, the MQM was an organised party and its rally would be a historic event, where people from all over the province would participate.
He reiterated that rallies from other cities and towns of Sindh would enter the metropolis from the National Highway, Super Highway and other points to reach Tibet Centre.
Other members of MQM Coordination Committee were also present.
PREPARATIONS: Meanwhile, preparations were under way from Guru Mandir to Tibet Centre for the MQM rally. Loudspeakers have been installed on M.A. Jinnah Road, while a stage was being prepared at a pedestrian bridge near Tibet Centre.
A party statement said that workers and sympathisers from Punjab, NWFP, Balochistan and the interior of Sindh have already left for Karachi to participate in the rally.
Huge banners of the ‘peace rally’ were placed on several multi-storeyed buildings of the city.
ALTAF: MQM Chief Altaf Hussain appealed to workers and people to remain peaceful on the occasion of Saturday’s rally and participate in maximum numbers.
