May 16, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1428

HYDERABAD May 15: Leaders of different political parties on Tuesday called for imposition of ban on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the wake of Saturday’s bloodshed in Karachi.

The demand came at a rally organised by Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party (STP), which began from the Taraqqi Pasand House and terminated outside the Radio Pakistan. Activists of PPP, PML-N, Jamaat-i-Islami, JUI-F, Sindh National Front (SNF), Awami National Party and Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party also participated in the rally.

STP Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi claimed that under government directives no police station had so far lodged any FIR against anybody over Saturday’s killings in Karachi.

"That's why we are lodging this FIR for the first time in the history of Sindh against prime accused who include Gen Pervez Musharraf, governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, MQM's deputy convenor of coordination committee Dr Farooq Sattar, adviser to chief minister Waseem Akhtar and Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim besides other terrorists," declared Mr Magsi.

Addressing PPP and PML-N, he said that if they were voted to power they should lodge this FIR against the accused and put them behind bars. The terrorists stood isolated and exposed before Urdu-speaking Sindhis, Punjabis, Sindhis, Pukhtuns and Baloch, he said.

He said that the government's days were numbered. If they were ousted from power they would try to divide the country that was why they were staging the farce of setting up camps.Mr Magsi said that the MQM should be banned like other proscribed organisations otherwise the people of Sindh would seal their offices in the province.

He praised the way Chief Justice of Pakistan was welcomed in Punjab and also praised people of Karachi for not turning up in the MQM’s rally on May 12.

He said that thanks to media people were able to see hooligans who fired on unarmed people in Karachi, adding that by resorting to such violent measures attempts were being made to repeat history.

SNF General Secretary Gul Mohammad Jakhrani termed MQM a terrorist organisation and said May 12 bloodshed was the result of a conspiracy hatched by MQM chief Altaf Hussain who had the backing of Gen Pervez Musharraf and his agencies.

PPP leader Maula Bux Chandio said that activists of MQM were given weapons in Karachi to kill innocent political workers but when political parties decided to lodge their protest the government imposed section 144.

He said that attempts were being made to pit brothers against brothers.

PML-N leader Afzal Gujjar pointed out that May 12 was continuation of Oct 12, 1999 when an elected civilian government was ousted from power.

MMA leader said that like US which had practical control over Muslim states the MQM had occupied the city.