March 14, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429

KARACHI, March 13: The Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) has claimed to have received 11 bodies of its workers who were kidnapped from different areas of the city.

Besides, it alleged that around a dozen Haqiqi activists including eight women have been missing following a protest demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, which came under attack by members of its rival group.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the in-charge of the party’s ladies wing, Rida Asim, alleged that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was behind the recent violent attack on women and children who were protesting for the release of the party leaders and workers in front of the Karachi Press Club.

“So far we have received 11 bodies of our workers in 24 hours, which were found from different parts of the city including Landhi, Korangi, Malir and Shah Faisal Colony,” she said.

Ms Asim said that state-backed terrorism was at its peak and it was high time democratic forces condemned such cowardly acts.

She called for the release of all the Mohajir Qaumi Movement’s workers and its chairman, Afaq Ahmed.

Ms Asim went on to say that polling day rigging and victimisation of rivals in the general elections had proven that the Muttahida had lost its roots in the metropolis.

Earlier, the MQM chairman, Afaq Ahmed, welcomed the Murree accord signed between the two majority- winning parties but asked the PPP co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif to ensure peace and a level-playing field for all the political parties in the near future.

“The future of democracy depends on the joint-struggle of the democratic forces and accountability of the dictator and his allies mainly in Karachi, who have kept citizens under fear and terror during their rule,” his lawyers quoted him as saying.