HYDERABAD, Dec 3: Local APDM leaders have condemned the massacre of innocent people and destruction of properties valued at tens of millions of rupees in Karachi during the last three days and demanded the arrest and punishment to the terrorists without any discrimination.They further demanded that the victims should be paid compensation and all out efforts should be made to enforce the writ of law in Karachi. They were addressing a big peace rally outside the press club here on Wednesday.

Besides the activists of affiliated parties, the workers of Sindh National Front also participated in the rally. The activists carried placards and banners inscribed with different slogans and party flags. They raised vociferous slogans against the extortionists and terrorists.

The convenor of APDM Hyderabad and president

Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Saleem Tareen, said that ethnic riots in Karachi in which 50 innocent people were killed and properties valued at tens of millions of rupees were torched, have had serious repercussions not only in Hyderabad but on whole of Sindh.

All the economic activities have come to a halt and all the market centres and vegetables and fruit markets are wearing a deserted look, Tareen said and added that Karachi belonged to Sindh and Sindhis but people from every nook and corner came there to earn their livelihood. Massacre of innocent people was extremely dangerous for the entire country, he said. He ridiculed anti-Pukhtoon propaganda under the cover of Taliban.

Abdul Waheed Qureshi said that the people would foil the conspiracies of the enemies of peace. He demanded immediate arrest of the terrorists and said that they should be publicly hanged.

He said that some elements sitting within the government were involved in the terrorist activities.

Ayub Shar said that terrorists were ruling over the province and added that the ethnic riots in Karachi were aimed at to divide Sindh.

MQM: On instructions from MQM chief Altaf Hussain, a delegation of MQM leaders comprising zonal in charge Mohammad Sharif, MNA Salahuddin and MPA Sohail Yousuf and others met with the central vice president ANP, Lala Aurangzeb Khan at his office on Tuesday and conveyed him the message of peace on behalf of MQM chief.

The zonal in charge said that some agent provocateurs were trying to destroy the peace of Sindh. He stressed the need for unity among all the people to foil the conspiracies of the miscreants.

Lala Aurangzeb Khan thanked the MQM chief for his message of peace and offered full support of his party to maintain peace in the city.

Later, the MQM delegation also met with the district president ANP, Haji Sher Zaman and other local leaders.