MQM announces two-day mourning in Karachi over worker's killing

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Wednesday announced two days of mourning in Karachi, calling for all businesses to remain shut over the custodial death of a party worker at the Aziz Bhatti police station, according to a statement on the MQM website.

Copy of initial post-mortem report. ─ DawnNews screengrab

A post-mortem of deceased Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker Muhammad Waseem who was held at the Aziz Bhatti police station revealed that there were signs of torture on his body.

A copy of the initial report obtained by DawnNews revealed the deceased suffered a head injury after being hit hard with a blunt object. It also said the victim suffered asphyxiation resulting in cardio-respiratory failure.

Inspector General Sindh police Ghulam Haider Jamali has placed DSP East Zone Nasir Ahmed Lodhi under suspension with immediate effect. Jamali further reverted SHO Aziz Bhatti police station Masood Raza to his substantive rank of ASI and also suspended him, said a handout issued here.

The four police officers who were investigating Waseem were also taken into custody, said Karachi-East SSP Pir Mohammed Shah, and a first-information report has been filed against them.

MQM supremo Altaf Hussain in a statement on the party's website expressed his condolences upon the passing of the party worker ─ who he said was a Baldia Town Unit-117 worker ─ and said all party members were united in this tragedy.

Muhammad Waseem was arrested yesterday from Dalmiya, where police recovered weapons from his possession. His body is being transported to his home in Baldia Town. Police sources said Waseem was arrested for his involvement in theft.

A family member told DawnNews that Waseem's elder brothers had both been arrested by the police previously and were being held at an unknown location.

The Additional IG along with the Deputy IG and the SSP East will launch a probe into the case. Further action will be taken following detailed post-mortem reports, said Spokesman Karachi Police Atiq Shaikh.

MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, while addressing a press conference later in the day, said MQM activist Wasim was brutally tortured to death in police custody after which the party has announced to observe two-day mourning.

Shops start to close

DawnNews reports MQM's two-day call for mourning in Karachi has commenced, as shops and businesses begin closing down in various areas of Karachi, including MA Jinnah Road, blocks 17 and 18 of Gulistan-i-Johar, and Malir.

Pakistan

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, government affairs, and the health sector.

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Jun 03, 2015 03:06pm

This is so ridiculous. Who ever is responsible for this should be punished. This shows the attitude of LEAs towards Karachites

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Danial

Jun 03, 2015 03:29pm

Pathetic treatment of prisoners and not surprised that only MQM members are treated in such a way while TTP members are allowed to escape or given sweets

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Anonymous

Jun 03, 2015 03:36pm

@SAB SE PEHLE PAKISTAN.... There is a difference between KARCHITES and criminals.

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Mustafa

Jun 03, 2015 04:15pm

Its sad and should be investigated and culprits punished, but please dont punish the innocent people of karachi

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mjk

Jun 03, 2015 04:15pm

Here we go again. Shops, businesses being closed. What difference would it make ? Businessmen will suffer, loss of millions rupees - otherwise things will remain same.

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Abdul Basit

Jun 03, 2015 04:19pm

If you catch a criminal, don't kill him by beating him. You then also become a criminal. The bussiness of Physical remand must stop in Pakistan.

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king julian

Jun 03, 2015 04:20pm

i suspect this dude isnt a real doctor - his handwriting is quite eligible

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radiant

Jun 03, 2015 04:20pm

@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan the actions of the police are condemnable, but y on earth the guy was wondering in rikshaw with weapon...perhaps going on a mission to kill some poor soul??

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Humanity

Jun 03, 2015 04:24pm

In tough situations... Getting attention to a less important issue is a sign of something fishy .

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Muhammad

Jun 03, 2015 04:52pm

Pathetic incident and the killing under Police custody is totally condemnable. MQM must now Adopt some different strategy. Strikes are totally ineffective and a flop idea with respect to results attained from establishment or government rather these strikes and shut downs badly struck poor people of Karachi. The corrupt and impotent Sindh Government is least concerned with the People of Karachi even Sindh also. They are just making money and providing zero relief to the people. Why not a Peaceful Sit-In infront of CM House with a large gathering with a single point agenda of resignation of CM Sindh. Hope COAS would take some action because Nawaz Government seems least bothered to Confront PPP at any issue.

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Hussain

Jun 03, 2015 05:21pm

@Anonymous : Perhaps custodial killing is not a crime for you.

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Dilawar Khan

Jun 03, 2015 06:02pm

it's all and always happening outside the Center..

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saz

Jun 03, 2015 06:36pm

@Anonymous A person is not criminal until proven guilty in court. You need to enlighten yourself!

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Ahmed

Jun 03, 2015 06:46pm

Sindh government is total failure and killing poor people with police power may bring undesirable results.

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Fed Up

Jun 03, 2015 06:57pm

Shutdown Karachi for 2 days because of a criminal's death? Is this a real doctor or just plays one on TV?

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Syed Zafar Kazmi

Jun 03, 2015 07:06pm

Lawlessness at its worst by those whose very job is to protect the law. But, alas where can you go who can you complain and cry to?; the whole establishment in the province of Sindh is steeped in corruption and deep corruption and the chief minister is the overlord since times immemorial.

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M Jamal

Jun 03, 2015 07:24pm

It is simply ownership. Karachi is lead by non owners,they have no interest other than rob this city of their resources. They collect taxes from city but nothing is spent on its development. Karachi city is an orphan ciry in the cities of the world. We need Mustafa Kamal to come back and take charge of this city and Karachites to manage the city.

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businesser

Jun 03, 2015 07:52pm

shop shut not good.

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businesser

Jun 03, 2015 07:54pm

why close shop, making people in trouble

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Viking Star

Jun 03, 2015 08:14pm

Although killing in custody is highly condemnable but forcing businesses and transport to shut is pathetic. I have seen each time when LEAs get easy, this party starts frequent and forced strikes. What will happen if you close shops and not allow transport to run? Do you achieve something?

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Viking Star

Jun 03, 2015 08:21pm

@saz We DO NOT have a peaceful situation in Karachi. What if someone starts walking towards you pointing gun at you? Would you wait to be killed (as he did not shoot you as yet?). Pre-emptive measures are MUST for extra ordinary situations. However I do favor an inquiry.

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Zee

Jun 03, 2015 08:33pm

How come MQM talks with the fork tongue, still fooling & misleading people of Karachi. Is it the policy of MQM that who ever & its terrorist working for MQM, MQM deny & claim to disassociate with the person(Saulat Mirza, Faisal Mota ) while those terrorists who die in the police custody (I am not supporting torture in Police Custody at all) or during the raid killed in the cross fire, MQM immediately associate itself to that dead person even if the dead person do not belong to MQM at all. People of Karachi will & should not tolerate this duplicitous policy of MQM. Whoever commit the crime, face the time. I also demand that the police officers who were responsible for the torture and killing of anyone during the police custody be treated as a federal Crime and be taken into account without further delay. I also demand that whoever interrupt the regular life in Karachi by burning tires or closing the shops should be dealt under the Anti Terror Act and be arrested immediately.

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Acorn guts

Jun 03, 2015 08:34pm

MQM who?

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mjk

Jun 03, 2015 08:46pm

Even if the criminal is caught, who is going to appear as a witness against him ? That is the reason most of them go free.

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Pakistani

Jun 03, 2015 09:15pm

I'm a big critic of MQM & Altaf Hussain but such brutal extra judicial killings must be condemned. However, those directing this towards ethnic biases are using these individual events & unfairly generalizing it. We must remember that this happened under police custody & not under LEAs whose operation has bestowed the city with peace.

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A.Ahmed

Jun 03, 2015 09:21pm

This has got to be the best handwriting by a doctor!

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SMI

Jun 03, 2015 09:43pm

Call for strike should b a crime imagine how many life suffered because of such strikes!!! What happened was deplorable action but does it mean to punish the entire society!!!! if you want to do something for his family make arrangements for thier love ones to have respectable life in e.g. arrange education,help his family to earn their livelihood Does call for strike serve anything?? Its only harm the people and the Country

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Khalil

Jun 03, 2015 10:11pm

Justice should be done whether it is MQM or any other party. His elder brothers are also held by Police earlier. Looks like a family business. But I strongly condemn the shutting down of the business. Thousands of innocent Pakistanis killed by Taliban in FATA and Swat but how many days MQM shut the business. Just few days ago innocent labors were killed in Balochistan -how many days of shutting down business.

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Concerned

Jun 03, 2015 10:16pm

DSP will be reinstated in few weeks. This is just a show. Police has to be non political and from the people of Karachi. People of Karachi should select or elect the Chief of Police for Karachi. I am amazed at some of the comments. (The doctor is not real, why the strike.) What other uption do the people not in power have. The govt. doesnt listen or care

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Abdul Malik

Jun 03, 2015 10:23pm

I am no supporter of MQM. In fact I am against a party that has militant wing. However, the way Waseem was tortured to death, shouldn't the IG should resign?

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IBN E ASHFAQUE

Jun 03, 2015 11:23pm

Why do we do this? Are we insane. If Law Enforcement Agencies themselves break the law then we are doomed as a country. This is extremely and absolutely futile incident. The country is at a very critical juncture and such incidents harm the collective will of the people of Pakistan who wish the country to prevail over terrorists.

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mjk

Jun 03, 2015 11:35pm

Altaf Bhai if you are so concerned, come back and actively do something for your followers. Strikes, shutting down businesses, only harm common man who is trying to make living.

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liaquat

Jun 03, 2015 11:38pm

@SMI Agreed , every word of your sensible comment. This shutting down all activities in karachi serves WHO? This is going on for years and hurting the poor people of karachi and daily wage earners. The owners of this city ever think of the losses of millions and millions of revenue. On whose tunes they are dancing for so long and they claim they are representatives pooe massess by shutting the city. Think about it.

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Nas

Jun 03, 2015 11:46pm

MQM back with Old Tactics of forced closur of business

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Sarosh

Jun 04, 2015 12:21am

@SMI Then tell me what is the way to release exasperation against state crime in a so called democratic society. Do you like the way what people did in KPK lately?

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Khan

Jun 04, 2015 12:31am

@mjk People have right to protest, don't you know.

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A Pakistani

Jun 04, 2015 12:58am

@Khalil thank you... you replied your own question and cleared a very important point. MQM does not shut business in Karachi... it is the businesses that shuts down to mourn their own brothers, sons, fathers and loved ones. Karachi is under attack and people of Karachi stick together and mourn together for their own. It is a false assumption and propaganda that MQM shuts down Karachi by force. Karachi shuts down itself to mourn its people.

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A Pakistani

Jun 04, 2015 01:00am

@SMI the whole country suffered for 126 days when some other "popular" leader called for strike! The same "popular" leader closed Faisalabad, Karachi and Lahore.... nobody complained.

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Iqbal Khan

Jun 04, 2015 03:13am

what is the mistake of karachittes where many of them are daily bread earners

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fareed

Jun 04, 2015 04:10am

Such a well known hospital, don't they provide printed report or at least on official latter head or form. This doesn't seems legit.

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Khan, USA

Jun 04, 2015 05:16am

I saw a photo in Dawn when to civilians were holding a policeman by collar in Khyber PK . IF this happens in Karachi then people and Media would call it " a civil war " right ?

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saeedmalik

Jun 04, 2015 06:19am

Do not destroy business. Shut down of strikes cost loss if millions.Will Altaf pay for it? Go to courts.

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Ahsan gul

Jun 04, 2015 06:42am

Sad news. Mr Altaf Hussain should come to Pakistan. What kind of leadership he is providing to his followers? Is he afraid of his past activities? People picked up for investigation should be treated humanely. We do not know the reasons - was he threatening the police. There are always two sides of the story. Police did not have personal vendetta with him. Before we accuse police we must try to know facts.

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taher

Jun 04, 2015 08:18am

Please reform whole police department and local people should be appointed in local government departments.

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pervaiz iqbal

Jun 04, 2015 08:53am

Strikes, strikes, strikes. What do they achieve other than inconveniencing the ordinary citizen? Calls for strikes should be banned by law. Government should ensure that the routine every day life is never affected. But will it ever?

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