KARACHI: Senior leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Haider Abbas Rizvi on Friday claimed that proscribed religious outfits are involved in targeted killings of more than 100 party activists in Karachi, DawnNews reported.

Speaking at a press conference, he said that MQM workers are being targeted for raising voice against religious extremism and terrorists.

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Hinting towards Karachi, Rizvi urged Army chief General Raheel Sharif to extend the scope of ongoing military operation Zarb-i-Azb in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Commenting on murder of MQM worker Nadeem Ahmad, he said Ahmad was a witness in Ayesha Manzil bomb blast and had identified the terrorists involved in the deadly bombing.

Ahmad was killed after being identified by terrorists while he was sitting outside a shop near Rehmat Chowk, Sector 11 of Orangi Town neighbourhood of the port city on Thursday.

The MQM leader said that Manzar Imam and CID police chief Chaudhry Aslam – other witnesses of the terrorist attack – have already been killed by the militants.

Rizvi claimed that Nadeem Ahmad was receiving death threats from the terrorists belonging to banned outfits, adding that Ahmad had also identified terrorists in a court. He said killers of Nadeem Ahmad were murderers of the whole country.

The MQM leader was of the view that the party was being punished for its strong stance against Talibanisation in the country.

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Senators belonging to MQM and Awami National Party (ANP) have already demanded a military operation against terrorists in Karachi.

Read: ANP, MQM call for army operation in Karachi