KARACHI, May 31: The chief of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Afaq Ahmed, on Saturday deplored the demolition of the party headquarters Baitul Hamza and the arrest of activists which he said indicated that Gen Pervez Musharraf had surrendered the city to the agents of the West to protect his power.

Mr Afaq alleged that a conspiracy to separate Karachi from rest of the country was in full swing and regretted that security agencies were deliberately keeping quiet.

He warned that if the country’s integrity was threatened then not only the terrorists but also those holding high office would be would be held accountable.

He deplored the excesses against his supporters and termed them the worst example of state terrorism and politics of vengeance.

He alleged that the government and its security agencies had killed many of his activists and said that such partisan policies were pushing the city towards one-party dictatorship.

He warned of extreme measures if his supporters were continuously targeted. Mr Ahmad also criticized the partisan role of the provincial government and the administration in the upcoming bye elections of NA-255, due on June 22.

The MQM’s candidate for the NA-255 seat, Abid Jafri, said that while the Muttahida had previously urged its supporters to become “New Sindhis”, it was now chanting the slogans of Mohajirs in its bid to get votes in this constituency.

Speaking to women activists, he said that state suppression would never be able to hold the entire community hostage. He paid tribute to the mothers of the community who had bravely suffered the ongoing operation against the Mohajir Quami Movement.