KARACHI: Police on Saturday registered a case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain along with party's several lawmakers over charges of terror and criminal conspiracy against the country after their May 12 gathering in the memory of their 'martyred' and missing workers.

MQM on May 12 had set up a protest camp near the Quaid-i-Azam Mausoleum to demand arrest of killers of its workers, early recovery of the missing party members and to show solidarity with the families of the slain activists.

Brigade police Station House Officer (SHO), Ghulam Nabi Afridi told Dawn today that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered on behalf of state against MQM chief Altaf Husain and party’s legislators Dr. Farooq Sattar, Rauf Siddiqi, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, Kanwar Naveed Jamil, nominated Karachi mayor, Wasim Akhtar under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other sections related to criminal conspiracy, waging or abetting war against Pakistan, condemnation of the creation of the State and advocacy of abolition of its sovereignty.

Explaining the move, the police officer claimed that the rally was not only held without the permission of Sindh government but it also defied the legal ban on MQM chief Altaf Hussain's speech.

He added that the MQM chief, while addressing the legislators party workers, threatened heads and of security and law enforcement agencies and instigating his party workers against the state to trigger a clash between his party workers and state institutions.

MQM reacts

The MQM’s coordination committee in a statement issued on the party website condemned the registration of case against the party chief Altaf Hussain and other leaders.

The statement says that the party had held the May 12 rally in the memory of its 'martyred' workers and to highlight the issue of 'missing persons' belonging to the party but instead of addressing its grievances, the government has registered a case against its leaders, 'which is another example of state brutality'.