KARACHI, July 23: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday termed the recent killing of its workers and supporters in Malir and Kati Pahari areas ‘part of a conspiracy’, and alleged that some ministers were patronising the criminals involved in these incidents by providing them with weapons and other facilities.

Speaking at a press conference at Khurshid Memorial Hall, MPA Raza Haroon said that what happened in the Malir, Landhi and Khokhrapar areas on Friday and a couple of weeks earlier in Kati Pahari and some other areas prior to the arrival of Rangers brought back memories of the Qasba-Aligarh massacre of 1986 and the June 1992 operations against the MQM.

“Unless patronage of criminal elements by some ministers is stopped, peace cannot be restored,” he declared, adding that the ongoing spate of killings was a conspiracy to sabotage efforts for peace in the city and other parts of the province.

Regarding the Friday morning violence in Malir, Khokhrapar and Landhi, he alleged that “more than 50 Haqiqi terrorists and criminals involved in the gang warfare attacked houses of MQM workers with firearms”. The MQM, he said, contacted all officials concerned and called for immediate action but timely action was not taken. The police were nowhere to be seen and the terrorists disappeared from the scene only when the Rangers entered the violence-hit areas many hours later.

Condemning the acts of terrorism targeting MQM workers and supporters, Mr Haroon recalled that a provincial minister had publicly said to have met the Haqiqi chief in the Karachi Central Jail earlier this month and had also described him [the MQM-Haqiqi chief] as ‘the true leader of Mohajirs’, besides announcing his full support for him.

He said that MQM fears about possible attacks or operation against the party and its activists as voiced at that time proved right when terrorists attacked the houses of MQM workers and tried to forcibly occupy its offices on Friday. “All this was done under a well-planned scheme… the terrorists were given full time to do their job,” he added.

The MQM leader said that his party believed that all parties should have complete freedom to propagate their political ideologies. “However, we are resolutely against facilitating criminal elements in capturing an area with the power of the gun, and the MQM will stand in the way of any such attempt,” Mr Haroon said.

He said the party had withdrawn the Sindh governor’s resignation only for the sake of peace and stability in the province, particularly Karachi. He added that MQM chief Altaf Hussain was holding out the hand of friendship to the Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, JUI-F and all other parties for peace and promotion of harmony among all segments of society.

“We are making all-out efforts towards harmony among all segments of society living in Karachi but do not sabotage our sincere efforts,” Mr Haroon said.

He said the MQM had appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, as well as the Sindh governor, chief minister and home minister, to ensure that killing of MQM workers and sympathisers was stopped, those involved in the bloodshed were arrested and no leniency was shown to anyone destroying peace and tranquility in the city.

He warned that all efforts for peace and stability in the city would fail because, according to him, the criminals had the tacit support of some government ministers.

Other members of the MQM coordination committee present at the press conference included Nasreen Jalil, Kunwar Khalid Younus, Wasay Jalil, Gulfaraz Khattak and senior leader Aamir Khan.