MQM 'disappointed' by PM's Karachi visit

Published August 20, 2015
Farooq Sattar talking to media personnel at Nine Zero, Thursday, Aug 20, 2015. – DawnNews Screengrab
Farooq Sattar talking to media personnel at Nine Zero, Thursday, Aug 20, 2015. – DawnNews Screengrab

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar on Thursday said his party was disappointed by the prime minister's visit to Karachi, saying Nawaz Sharif had left Karachi without "answering our questions."

Talking to reporters at Nine Zero, MQM's headquarters, the senior Rabita Committee member said Nawaz Sharif was "gifted the arrest of MQM workers" on his arrival at Karachi.

He went on to say that under Article 10 of the Constitution, it was mandatory to state reasons for arresting anyone, reiterating his party's earlier claim that workers are being detained illegally under the garb of the Karachi operation.

Sattar said it was clear that MQM was being cornered and voiced disappointment that the premier did not contact his party on the occasion.

The MQM leader also alleged that supremo Altaf Hussain's live speeches had been banned on TV, which he claimed was a tactic to enforce the "minus Altaf formula."

He also said the MQM will hold a protest demonstration outside Press Club on Friday against the ban on Altaf's speeches. "Today they are not airing his [Altaf Hussain's] speeches. Tomorrow it will be someone else."

"The unannounced ban ban on Altaf Hussain's speeches is illegal. We will take this matter to court." Sattar went on to say that the MQM was Karachi's representative party, bagging over 80% of the city's votes.

Last week, MQM legislators had resigned for the National Assembly, Senate and the Sindh Assembly to protest what the party said were excesses committed during the Rangers-led security operation in Karachi.

Take a look: MQM lawmakers tender resignations.

MQM claims the paramilitary force, Rangers, which has been given special powers to cleanse Karachi of criminal elements, is targeting its workers and supporters and questions the partiality of the operation.

Since MQM's resignation from Parliament, the federal government has been making efforts to reconcile differences with the party and push for its return to assemblies. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the JUI-F, has been tasked to conduct talks with MQM and thrash out a solution to the political crisis.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...