KARACHI, April 27: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Wednesday accused religious parties and extremists of conspiring to “plunge Karachi into bloodbath in order to subvert the ongoing democratic dispensation.” The allegation came at a press conference addressed by the MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly, Kunwar Naveed, at the Karachi Press Club. Several MQM MPAs were present on the occasion.

“While law and order situation has improved, democratic dispensation has firmly entrenched and the province is on the road to progress, religious extremists, who had always opposed progress and development, are trying to destroy peace in the province,” Mr Naveed deplored.

He said that due to the relentless efforts put in by the PML-MQM coalition for improving law and order situation, foreign investment was on the increase.

The Jamaat-i-Islami, he claimed, was playing second fiddle to anti-democracy forces in the country and introducing the element of firearm and gunpowder in politics. Its student organization, he added, targeted APMSO members and others in the educational institutions.

The MQM leader also alleged that the JI’s thunder squad was instrumental in destroying peace on campuses and establishing ‘no-go areas’ where torture cells were being set up.

He cited various incidents where, according to him, JI activists had allegedly subjected MQM workers to torture through politics of agitation.

This policy was being followed by the JI because it had realized that it would face defeat in the upcoming local bodies’ election, Mr Naveed claimed, adding that the JI was trying to create a situation which could lead to the postponement of the LB elections and derailment of the democratic process in the province.

He deplored that in order to achieve that objective, the JI did not even respect the sanctity of Eid Milad as it resorted to provocation in Hyderabad on the 12th of Rabiul Awwal when it used the platform for slanderous political speeches.

The MQM MPAs at the press conference demanded arrest of those involved in the killings of Tariq Bandhani, Mohammad Zubair, Shahood Hashmi and Abdul Wahab. They appealed to the president and prime minister to take notice of the ‘JI’s terrorism’.