KARACHI: An imprisoned worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday died during treatment in Civil Hospital Karachi.

The worker was arrested over his suspected involvement in the May 2007 carnage case.

The party alleged that Mehmood Khan, a Fire Brigade employee, was “killed by Malir police.”

However, Malir SSP Rao Anwar Ahmed said that he was remanded to jail custody around six days ago and was suffering from complications related to diabetes.

"Khan was brought from Central Jail to the hospital for treatment around four to five days ago," said Medico Legal Officer Dr. Mubarak Pathan.

The MLO added that Khan was admitted in a medical ward where he expired on Sunday.

"His parents took away his body without allowing doctors to conduct his post-mortem examination," said the doctor, and added the family had informed the magistrate that they did not want a post post-mortem examination.

“Today, a senior worker of MQM was murdered,” claimed Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, parliamentary leader of the party in the Provincial Assembly.

“Today, we are not protesting but making an appeal to chief minister Sindh and IG police Sindh to control the few police officers who have established a reign of terror,” said the party leader.

“It is our legal right to raise voice against the extra-judicial killings of our workers,” he said, adding that through such killings, one particular class or community was being pushed towards the wall.

“I want to tell the police officers under whose custody our worker died that police is supposed to serve the public but such actions are defaming the whole institution,” stated Izhar-ul-Hassan.

"Conspiracies are being spread by law enforcers through such tactics," he added.

The MQM leader claimed Malir police had arrested Khan on August 11.

Anwar told Dawn that Khan was arrested by Airport police and was sent to jail custody around six days ago.

"Mehmood Khan was presented before the administrative judge of anti-terrorism court for police remand twice and later on, he was given in judicial custody by the same judge," said Anwar

"Several days have passed but the MQM did not level any charges of torture."

Anwar added Khan was a police constable and was dismissed from his job in 1992, and was later recruited by the city's fire service, and was reinstated in 2005 as a police constable posted Azizabad police station.

"Khan was twice arrested in two murder cases in the past and was also involved other criminal cases besides his involvement in the May 12 case," alleged Anwar.

Previous deaths in custody

In August, a worker of MQM, who was in custody, died while under treatment at Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre.

In May, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif ordered an inquiry into the death of MQM activist Aftab Ahmed, who died in the custody of Rangers paramilitary force under controversial circumstances.

MQM has been under the spotlight when it comes to the Rangers-led Karachi operation. In March 2015, Rangers personnel detained a number of MQM workers, including senior members such as Amir Khan, in a pre-dawn raid on the party's headquarters.

The raid, which prompted a protest by party activists, appeared to have symbolic significance in the operation that has been underway in Karachi since October 2013.