• Two vehicles damaged, torched
• PPP man hurt in gunfire
• Kamal, Ghani trade charges

KARACHI: The otherwise peaceful electioneering in the metropolis is marred by violence again when an armed clash between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Peoples Party in Nazimabad claimed the life of a senior MQM-P worker in the small hours of Monday.

The killing of MQM-P’s Faraz Ahmed Qureshi, 40, triggered a violent protest as enraged people torched two vehicles, said to be owned by PPP activists. Another PPP worker, identified as Rao M Talha, 22, was shot at and wounded.

Later in the day, the MQM-P demanded an FIR against PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain.

Gulbahar SHO Shabbir Hussain told Dawn that the incident took place late on Sunday night outside an election office of the MQM-P when a PPP rally was passing through the area.

He said workers of both parties chanted slogans against each other before getting into a physical altercation that ultimately led to firing from both sides.

“A mob surrounded the area after the shooting and vandalised two Toyota Vigos belonging to PPP workers before setting them on fire,” the area SHO said.

Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that Faraz suffered a fatal bullet wound in the head, while Talha was hit by a bullet in the left arm.

DIG-West Asim Qaimkhani told a press conference that it was inappropriate for any party to stage a rally, or pass through, in front of the office of any other political party. He urged politicians to avoid creating such a situation that may lead to confrontation.

He said that the investigation into the incident was at initial stages. “The election process is going on and all political parties should demonstrate tolerance. I want to warn all political parties on behalf of the state that whoever is involved in such activities, they would be taken to task,” he said.

When asked whether the police would lodge an FIR against Dr Asim, he said that a thorough inquiry into the incident had been initiated and a case would be registered on merit.

A large number of people attended the funeral prayers for the slain MQM-P worker in Buffer Zone. He was laid to rest in the Paposhnagar graveyard.

MQM-P seeks FIR against PPP leadership

Calling the incident ‘an organised attack’ on his party by the PPP, senior MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal accused former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain of ‘supervising’ the whole episode.

“The PPP has actually outsourced district Central to that man [Dr Hussain] and given him free hand with all government machinery and police to bring the party to power,” he told a press conference.

“It is sixth such incidents in the past few weeks but let me be very clear that we won’t let it happen again. We won’t see our workers dying and stay silent. The police are serving the PPP workers under Dr Asim’s directives,” he said.

He demanded that an FIR of premeditated murder be lodged against Dr Asim and vowed that the party would take every legal course for justice and action against the PPP leadership.

PPP rejects allegations

Rejecting Mr Kamal’s allegations, the PPP leaders came up with counter accusations.

Calling the incident ‘terrorism’ by the MQM-P, the party’s city chapter president Saeed Ghani blamed Mr Kamal for deliberately ‘triggering’ hate for political gains.

“We have videos which show who had actually instigated the attack and resorted to terrorism,” he said.

“This is not the first incident one during the ongoing electioneering. Our workers are being threatened and the most unfortunate thing is that all this is happening under the police’s watch,” he said.

MQM-P workers booked for rioting

Separately, two workers of the PPP suffered injuries during another clash with workers of the MQM-P in a Malir area.

The Malir City police had registered a case against 10 nominated workers of the MQM-P and around two dozen unknown persons on the complaint of a PPP worker’s brother, Mohammed Saeed.

The FIR was lodged under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 337-A (i) (intention to hurt), 337-F (i) (punishment for causing injury), 427(mischief and thereby causing damage to the amount of Rs50), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of Rs100) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2024