KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Monday observed the 30th death anniversary of its first chairman, Azeem Ahmed Tariq, who was assassinated in his home on May 1, 1993.

A statement issued by the party said that several events were held across the country and the main congregation was held in a park near the party’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad.

The party paid rich tributes to the slain leader and vowed to struggle for the rights of all oppressed people in the light of his teachings.

“Today, our party is united and progressing due to the sacrifices of leaders like Azeem Tariq, who resisted every attempt which was made to divide the people of this city,” said MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

He said in the statement that the ideology and the philosophy of leaders like Azeem Tariq could guide the party and its workers to success, peace and prosperity.

Senior party leader Syed Mustafa Kamal, the statement said, also paid tribute to the deceased chairman, saying that Azeem Ahmed Tariq and Dr Imran Farooq provided the basic ideology for the existence of the party.

Dr Farooq Sattar, according to the statement, called the murder of Azeem Tariq an attempt to divide Mohajir community and trigger insecurity and fear among the middle class and the educated segment of the society. “Now it’s the responsibility of ours and every Karachiite to follow the rules and ideology devised by Azeem Tariq to face the growing challenges and emerge successful,” he added.

After Quran khwani, party leaders visited the Shuhda graveyard”, laid a wreath on the deceased leader’s grave and offered fateha.

Azeem Tariq was gunned down by unknown persons in his Federal B Area home three decades ago.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023