MQM stages protest against extra-judicial killing of workers

Dawn.com Published April 17, 2014

KARACHI: Activists and supporters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday protested in Karachi against the ‘enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings of its party workers.

Members of the MQM's Rabita Committee, lawmakers, and workers of all MQM sector and unit offices in Karachi converged near the Karachi Press club for the demonstration.

A large number of women and children were also present at the protest.

Speaking at the demonstration, party leaders criticised the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO), declaring it a ‘black law’.

They claimed that personnel of the law-enforcement agencies in plain clothes had been picking up MQM workers and subjecting them to brutal torture. In some cases, they added, the perpetrators killed their workers and dumped their bodies on the outskirts of the city.

MQM leaders appealed to the prime minister, federal interior minister and chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the security situation in Karachi and to put an end to killing and dumping of its workers’ bodies.

The MQM claims that the whereabouts of 30 workers rounded up by officials in plain clothes had not been known since January, and that petitions have been filed in the Sindh High Court for the recovery of every worker picked up by security officials in plain clothes.

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Khan

Apr 17, 2014 08:25pm

MQM is wasting time of Muhajirs learn from past look what Bengalis, Balochs and Taliban did, take the same path if you ant rights in Pakistan or Karachities and people of Hyderabad should stop paying taxes on which Sindh and Pakistan is running.

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sam

Apr 17, 2014 08:39pm

Zero comments so far! Some thing smells real fishy/

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Malik

Apr 17, 2014 08:46pm

Separate Province is only a solution, PPP govt will not bring peace in Karachi and they can represent Karachi. PPP leaders live in Karachi as a foreigner, they win elections from interior and they represent rural part of Sindh only. Local municipal system is an example. People of Karachi (including Mohajir, Punjabi, and Phattan) cannot speak or understand Sindhi and they are not Sindhi. Karachi should be separate province. Karachi population is more rest of Sindh but has fewer seats.

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Observor

Apr 17, 2014 09:11pm

I think for sure the bad days are coming for Pakistanis particularly for Karachiites as PPP and Nawaz league act with descrimination when it comes to problems of Karachi. PPP IS TRULLY RURAL PARTY HAS NO INTEREST IN KARACHI EXCEPT THE MONEY. All ethnics living in urban Sindh should be united to defeat feudals in order to achieve prosperity in their lives otherwise there is absolutely no future for them.

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Sheeraz

Apr 17, 2014 10:13pm

@Malik: Well Karachi has been part of Sindh since the start. So why should be a different province. What about Sindhi people that have been crying and urging for independence for a long time. What about when the leaders and ordinary people are killed but no one talks about that. I am sure more than 30 workers and ordinary Sindhis are taken away from their families everyday but this doesn't show up in the media. What about the huge peaceful protests take place from the Sindhi parties but the media still doesn't show that. If a high population of certain people take over a place, it doesn't mean that it is theirs and it should be separated. Karachi has been a city of SIndh and we Sindhis want to keep it a city of Sindh

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Ahmad KN

Apr 18, 2014 12:02am

Get your supremo, Altaf Bhai back from London, see if he can lead you to a new Promised Land , Pakistan is not big enough . Evidently you are not satisfied after joining every government in power. Your problem is, no party wants you in coalition government, now you are on your own. You had your hey days during Musharraf's rule.

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Ali Faruqi

Apr 18, 2014 01:30am

@Ahmad KN: Situation is no different then what it was which created what is now known Bangladesh. All the big talks about democracy is nothing is total civilian dictatoreship. Why local bodies elections are not held for so long. Dont under estimate the karachites.

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Sid Noonari

Apr 18, 2014 04:19am

@Khan: Bengalis,Baloch and Pathan did not come from other parts of country and started demanding separate land. Muhajir is not Muhajir anymore. They are Urdu Speaking Sindhis now. better join Sindh main Stream politics (not PPP) and raise voices for whole Sindh instead of a part of Sindh.

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