KARACHI, Nov 9: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which had suspended on Tuesday its relief work in quake-hit areas of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir following alleged attacks on its camps and firing incidents, resumed the operation on Wednesday after “assurances of protection” from Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

This was announced in London by the party’s convener Dr Imran Farooq who said the prime minister had a “detailed conversation” on telephone with MQM leader Altaf Hussain and given assurances of protection to workers.

According to a press release of MQM’s International Secretariat, similar assurances were also given by high civil and military officials and by AJK Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Hafiz Ahmed Raza, who spoke to Mr Hussain and appealed to him to resume the operation.

Dr Farooq said that the AJK minister condemned “the atrocities of Jamaat-i-Islami”.

“Having considered the appeal of the prime minister, civil and military administration and, above all, the people of affected areas of Azad Kashmir and the NWFP, MQM and Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation have decided to resume their relief activities,” Dr Farooq said, adding that the decision had been endorsed by Mr Hussain.

The party which had withdrawn its doctors, volunteers, paramedical staff and workers to Islamabad in protect against alleged vandalism, ordered them to resume their work in the affected areas, Dr Farooq announced.

“We hope the assurances given to us would be honoured and no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and persons working round-the-clock in difficult conditions would be able to continue their assignment in an atmosphere of safety,” he said.

He said that following its decision to wind up its humanitarian work, the party had received “hundreds and hundreds” of telephone calls and messages not only from Azad Kashmir and the NWFP, but also from all over Pakistan and abroad expressing their shock and concern over vandalism and incidents of terrorism and appealed to the MQM to resume its operation.