KARACHI, Jan 27: The Coordination Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday condemned the killing of one of its workers along with his uncle, and urged the government and the international human rights organizations to take notice of the alleged unlawful acts of the Haqiqi activists.

At a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Deputy Convener of the MQM’s Coordination Committee Aftab Shaikh said that president Pervez Musharraf had taken action against religious extremism and extended support to the international coalition against terrorism. He asked the president to take notice of the alleged terrorist activities against the MQM.

He claimed that the government agencies were bent upon restraining the Muttahida from taking part in the forthcoming general elections.

He said the prevailing unrest among the citizens of New Karachi and other localities and the uneasiness among the dwellers in Landhi was a natural phenomena. He said Anwar was the Muttahida activist who got married about 15 days back. He had remained away from his Landhi home since 1992, and had recently returned. His maternal uncle, Shaikh Amjad, was not affiliated with the Muttahida.

“We are expressing restraint on the continued killing of our workers and supporters but the question is how long the people will express restraint?,” he asked.

Aftab Sheikh said his party had sent a telegram to President Pervez Musharraf, Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider about its concern. He said the Muttahida had decided to raise the issue at every forum in and outside the country and continue its peaceful, legal and democratic struggle in this respect.

Muttahida leaders including Khalid Bin Waleed, Mustafa Kamal, Abdul Qadir Lakhani and Mohammad Adil Siddiqui were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, in a fax message from London, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, while condemning the killing, said his party was the third largest political party in the country and the second largest in Sindh.

Since the commencement of army operation on June 19, 1992, more than 15,000 MQM leaders, workers and supporters had been killed, he claimed.