MQM reiterates stance on Rangers raid
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KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) repeated on Friday its stance against the recent Rangers raid on the party’s headquarters and its demand for a judicial commission headed by a Sindh High Court judge to investigate the killing of a worker during the siege.
The party’s leaders insisted that the arms found by the Rangers were licensed and said a clarification issued by the United States that it never transported arms through the Karachi port negated the paramilitary force’s claim that they belonged to Nato forces operating in Afghanistan.
“Nine Zero has never been a no-go area,” MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said at a press conference. “The security around this place is in line with reports and suggestions of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies that it is under a terrorist threat. However, this security arrangement never deprived anyone of easy movement.”
He condemned the way MQM workers were presented in court for judicial process by the law-enforcement personnel, saying the attitude had humiliated the political activists.
Know more: Karachi in daze after Rangers’ raid on MQM redoubt
“With their eyes covered and hands cuffed, it appears that the 1992 episode is being repeated. We have never even seen the Taliban militants being brought to courts in this manner. This is unfortunate and shameful,” he said, referring to a past military operation against his party.
He said the security agencies had tried to create the same impression which they had done in 1992 but had been denied by their own high-ups after 17 years when the then Intelligence Bureau chief and Karachi corps commander came up with the facts that showed that all allegations levelled against the MQM at that time were not true.
“This time again, we came to know about some surprising information. During the raid, even a gardener and cook working at Nine Zero were picked up and declared target killers. Torture and misbehaviour even with the 70-year-old widow sister of Altaf Hussain is also part of our record,” Mr Rizvi added.
Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2015
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Comments (58) Closed
Mar 14, 2015 06:24am
MQM press conference was such an eye opener for those accusing MQM for no reason should listen/read notes of the press conference and condemn the bias and brutal attitude of LEAs.
People of Karachi and Hyderabad are with MQM. Please stay strong. The more LEAs push MQM to the wall the more the people will support MQM
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Mar 14, 2015 07:39am
I really find it amusing when MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi says that"Nine Zero has never been a no-go area."
Ask me how I was asked by a heavily guard to leave the area when I went in there area to locate the house of friend whom I had visited several years back.
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Mar 14, 2015 07:48am
Punjab Army Zindabad!!!!!
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Mar 14, 2015 07:48am
This house is in middle class locality. Why do you need gardener for few pots? One house maid is enough for all jobs
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Mar 14, 2015 07:52am
If the government report is to be believed, then they were far too many arms in the building. You do not need submachine guns to protect party headquarters. If they were licensed, then they should not have been issued.
Why were the convicted persons on the property? Convicted murderers, were alleged to have been arrested from the premises. What were they doing?
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Mar 14, 2015 08:13am
MQM no need to worry, entire Mohajir Nation and Urban Sindh is with you !
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Mar 14, 2015 08:14am
MQM forever in our hearts
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Mar 14, 2015 08:16am
Every party has good people and bad people, but the way they carried the MQM workers to prison is going to come back and haunt the rangers one day.
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Mar 14, 2015 08:17am
All this is doing is making more and more people especially Urdu speaking people like MQM more and more, I don't agree with policy.
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Mar 14, 2015 08:18am
Something is cooking in the pressure cooker, hopefully MQM's retaliation won't bring the entire country down.
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Mar 14, 2015 08:24am
It is just a shame that after more than 20 years, the democratically elected leaders of Karachi still have to endure these types of atrocities.
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Mar 14, 2015 08:40am
sad to see that things that used to happen 400 years back are happening at this era. hatterdness and fights should be disappeared from this world but a difference an opinion can lead to all this.
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Mar 14, 2015 08:50am
What has he to say about hardened criminals recovered from 90? Were they all planted by MQM enemies?
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Mar 14, 2015 09:00am
Which one of the stance is it now?
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Mar 14, 2015 09:20am
For the first time in a long time we karachites can breathe easy. Please general Shareef take this operation to its logical conclusion
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Mar 14, 2015 09:37am
Yes cook and Gardner can be your part time target killers as well. What type of justification are you coming up with? The problem is that army or Rangers will never punish them like Naseer Ullah Babar did at the time. There are no more brave politicians or officers left to look these terrorists in the eye.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:42am
Nine Zero has never been a no-go area. It appears that he is not fooling us but himself. The same approach was adopted by party after when they rigged the whole karachi election but appeared in media regularly and accusing other parties. How long they would be fooling us or rather fooling themselves.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:47am
Things like Raid on Nine Zero , with reasons which has yet to be justified, will only alienate Mohajirs and MQM ; who have been trying hard to get into the main stream politics.
Not sure what good it will bring to the country? Sincere Pakistanis need to give this matter a serious thought.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:52am
Rangers have no doubt done a daring act to cleanse the city of Karachi. The time has come for all rotten rags to either discipline themselves or face the music.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:57am
What else required to show their true picture?
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Mar 14, 2015 10:40am
this is the shameful act has done by Rangers ,,shame on u Rangers
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Mar 14, 2015 10:40am
Come on guys, you have been exposed. Weapons with silencers are never used for security. They are only used for target killing /assassination.
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Mar 14, 2015 10:42am
MQM needs a real self evaluation and assessment at this time. Instead of giving out incoherent statements, they should clean house including their top leadership. They do have militant wings, they are involved in steady decline of the once most vibrant city of Asia. The cache of weapons recovered from their HQ is a watershed moment. This is a state within a state scenario- a precursor to civil war.
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Mar 14, 2015 10:45am
Why were they on premises in such a big amount!
You can't fool people anymore!
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Mar 14, 2015 10:49am
Please show us those licences if you have them!
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Mar 14, 2015 10:51am
Same old rhetoric. We are facing "this" and "that"
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Mar 14, 2015 11:13am
Yea the gardener who was asked by judge about gardening and he was blank about any knowledge about gardening.
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Mar 14, 2015 11:47am
Keep it MQM. As they were proved wrong in 92 they would again.
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Mar 14, 2015 11:48am
Rangers zindabad.
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Mar 14, 2015 11:52am
Even if we were to agree with the argument few elements inthe party are responsible for all the bad publicity, then the buck still stops at the CEO- Bahi
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Mar 14, 2015 11:58am
The arms may well be licensed but in a recent talk show this question was raised : Since the licenses are claimed to have been issued in the name of MNAs and MPAs the same should have been with the concerned persons. Why the arms (licenses) issued in the name of individuals were lying at the party HQ ?
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Mar 14, 2015 11:58am
Which country gives out licenses to its citizens for Machine Guns? Mr. Rizvi should also through some light on what were the terrorists like Faisal Mota and Mr. K2 doing at 90.
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Mar 14, 2015 12:05pm
So why back-off now from your demands? Which government issues licenses of sniper riffle & military grade hardware?
A great job by rangers. Operation must continue against all criminal irrespective of their affiliations
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Mar 14, 2015 12:19pm
I am not supporter of any political party, indeed I hate them all. But verily, these type of actions will make MQM stronger. As happened in 1992 /1996. Have the rangers done same type of action in Leyari and Sohrab Goth. Why Rangers did not take such type of action against Uzair Baloch and his gang who is the known criminal. How Uzair Baloch left Pakistan whereas Mama Qadeer couldn't. May Allah keep mercy on Pakistan and all of us.
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Mar 14, 2015 12:43pm
just check with your leader first he keeps saying the weapons were brought by rangers. Unfortunately our blind supporters would keep supporting no matter what....and keep spreading their hatred against Punjab.
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Mar 14, 2015 12:55pm
@Abbas Syed , Can you pass freely through Sharif's residences in Lahore? I watched a famous tv show in which its anchor tried a lot to cross the road passing across Sharif's residence from every corner but refused entry. My cousins are living just after a alley from nine zero, so I use to go there every now and then. it's my personal observation that any body can go there if not looking suspicious.
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Mar 14, 2015 12:57pm
These criminals should not be spared
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Mar 14, 2015 12:58pm
They have lied before
Rangers stiff action must be applauded to bring peace in the city of light
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Mar 14, 2015 12:59pm
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan So what about proclaimed criminals hiding there!
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Mar 14, 2015 01:00pm
@khan faraz
Why not shame on MQM
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Mar 14, 2015 01:21pm
When the US says it did not use Karachi port for moving arms and ammunition during its occupation of Afghanistan, only a stupids and naive will believe.
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Mar 14, 2015 01:37pm
I am not sure if licenses are issued for silencers and sub machine guns.
Rangers should continue doing their job unabated. Apprehend every terrorist/criminal regardless of their party affiliation.
Karachi has been destroyed by people like these.
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Mar 14, 2015 01:38pm
is MQM means mohajir qomi movement or motahda qomi movement. i dont understand they declared motahda but act like mohajir. are they?someone here says punjabi army zindabad. i would say that most of higher command is consist of mohajir officers. punjabies are just majority are soldiers.
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Mar 14, 2015 01:51pm
Why any action against MQM is always turn into Punjab against Urdu speaking? Not able to comprehend...
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Mar 14, 2015 01:53pm
Which Political party HQ is not a "no go area" can you go to Bilawal house, Rai wind jageer, Bani Gala and Mardan house - without any check. Don't you see armed guards there - but for them it's called security, for 90 it's called 'no go area'
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Mar 14, 2015 01:56pm
mr Rizvi, why such large cache of arms was placed at 90 ? if it was licensed it must be under someone's name or may be under different person's name.... even then why it was in 90 why not under custody of the person or persons who acquired such licenses ? and don't think NATO or USA will come to your rescue anymore, dont try to pretend its an international issue by giving mis-leading statements and trying to hoodwink entire nation by saying what NATO said about the stolen containers ... media has exposed everything now... try and spill out the truth. take IK lead and get rid of Altaf if you want to stay in politics any further....
live and let us live in peace, for once and all speak truth.
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Mar 14, 2015 04:00pm
Why a judicial commission headed by a judge only of the Sindh High Court to investigate the killing ? Are all other judges not sale-able, or expensive?
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Mar 14, 2015 04:03pm
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan : And Sindh is not Pakistan se Pehle. So why insist for inquiry commission under a judge only from Sindh High Court?
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Mar 14, 2015 04:08pm
@Akram Malik : The MQM Supremo is mad in anger why the killers were there in his headquarters?
Why did they not disappear like him out of the scene ?
They should better face the wrath of law, before he pounces and gets his own devices operate on them.
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Mar 14, 2015 04:38pm
mqm just said target killers do not belong to them! then why are they worried about them
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Mar 14, 2015 06:48pm
@Usman
I am urdu speaking and dnt associate myself with them
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Mar 14, 2015 08:35pm
Simply put, MQM, show genuine licenses for all the arms and ammunition confiscated in the raid. Only then, we will believe you.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:44pm
The truth will out.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:52pm
If Usama Bin laden can be found in Abbotabad right under the Army's nose and the state claimed that they had no idea that he was living there for years then MQM should also be believed. Having said that MQM has to overhaul their entire setup and weed out all suspected criminals from their fold.
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Mar 14, 2015 09:54pm
@Abbas Syed Try going to Bilawal House or rewind. same thing will happen. Zardari has annexed three main roads in Clifton Block 2. And erected a 20 feet wall , what do you have to say about that my dear
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Mar 14, 2015 09:55pm
@Akram Malik They had their own Home Minister for years. Why would they keep unlicensed arms.
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Mar 14, 2015 10:44pm
its final days MQM breathing ... no more they need by Britishers .... in a very smooth ways they will end up ... no one can argue ... no one will see violence .... who created them now destroying them .... and we stupid peoples of Pakistan are giving our stupid opinions .... :P
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Mar 14, 2015 11:17pm
Mohajirs are very respected community who played a crucial role in the creation of Pakistan and are true sons of Pakistan. It is about time they should start disassociating themselves from MQM which has given them noting but a bad name
Pakistan government should go ahead and handover the two individuals they are holding to the Scotland Yard so that Mr Hussain is brought to justice once and for all and the nation gets a sigh of relieve once and for all Insha Allah
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