KARACHI: Assertions of top govt officials rejected
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 18: Leaders of various opposition parties and groups have rejected the government’s contention with regard to its handling of affairs on May 12 when more than 40 people were gunned down on the streets of Karachi on the occasion of the foiled rousing welcome that was to be accorded to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on his arrival in the city.
The contentions came from Adviser to the CM on Home Waseem Akhtar and Home Secretary Brig (r) G. M. Mohtaram on Thursday.
The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party on Friday insisted that not only the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the major ruling coalition partner, but also the state security agencies were responsible for the bloodshed.
Referring to the claims made by home secretary and IG Sindh at a press conference on Thursday, the PMAP said being ‘loyal officials’ of the present set-up, “they tried to cover up the terrorism resorted to by the MQM, though in vain.”
In a rejoinder, the PMAP said had these officials acted like the civil servants, the tragedy would not have taken place.
The PMAP rejected the officials’ claim that all opposition political parties were equally responsible for the May 12 mayhem, arguing that Sharea Faisal had not been blocked by the opposition parties; the routes prescribed for the participants of the lawyers’ rally were under the command of the MQM whose militants had taken positions under the flyovers to attack the rally participants, including opposition political leaders and workers, with firearms.
The PMAP recalled that law-enforcers did not intervene when the attacks were under way. It alleged that the security forces fully cooperated with the MQM assailants to foment linguistic riots but, it claimed, the opposition foiled all their attempts.
The Pakistan People’s Party, in a statement, also held the MQM and the security agencies responsible for the bloodshed, and warned that they could not absolve themselves of the charge as media and foreign observes watched the events live.
The statement was signed by Haji Muzaffar Shah, M. Shafi, Bakht Tareen, Mohammad Anwar Baloch and Comrade Ali Mohammad Baloch who, along with other party colleagues, visited those injured in the May 12 incidents in hospitals and inquired about their health.
