KARACHI, Dec 10: The chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, said in a statement on Saturday that influential people in the Punjab were harassing and intimidating party workers and urged the Punjab government to take action against them.

It was the right of any political party to work freely in any part of the country. MQM being the party of the poor has gained popularity among the oppressed and suppressed classes.

Unfortunately, however in the Punjab its workers were being threatened of dire consequences if they kept supporting the Muttehada Quami Movement or tried to open its offices in the province.

He cited the example of Shahnaz Tahir, a membr of the Sialkot district council and his brother in Gujranwala Rana Zulqarnain Haider of being subjected to such threats.

MQM, Altaf Hussain said, was a peaceful party and wanted to improve the lot of the people. Preventing it from doing so will be great injustice and against the fundamental rights. He asked the Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool, and Chief Minister Pervez Elahie to take cognisance of his complaint and proceed against those indulging in such unlawful activity.