KARACHI, Oct 21: A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders visited the People’s Secretariat on Sunday to express their condolence with the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party on the October 18 tragedy in which over 130 people lost their lives.
The delegation, led by MQM coordination committee in charge Anwar Alam, met PPP leader Qaim Ali Shah and others.
They strongly condemned the act of terrorism on the procession organised to welcome PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto on her homecoming.
They also prayed for the departed souls and for early recovery of those injured in the twin blasts.
It was the second formal contact between the leadership of the two parties after the telephonic conversation of MQM chief Altaf Hussain with PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
It was decided that MQM leaders would visit Bilawal House to meet Ms Bhutto for condolence on Monday evening.
Mr Shah expressed gratitude to MQM leadership for extending support for the welcome programmes of the party’s chairperson and observed that this step would prove helpful in strengthening democratic norms in the country.
He said no one could ever forget the October 18 tragedy.
MQM leaders Abdul Haseeb, Sardar Ahmed, Shoaib Bukhari and PPP leaders Rashid Rabbani, Rafiq Engineer, Waqar Mehdi were also present.
Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain addressed a gathering organised by the MQM South Africa Unit in Johannesburg, according to a press release issued here on Sunday.
In his telephonic address from London, he urged all political, progressive, liberal and democratic forces to put aside their differences and unite on one platform to fight extremism and terrorism.
Reiterating his party’s stance that he was against all sorts of aggression against the poor or other countries, Mr Hussain said the Muttahida wanted to establish friendly relationship with all neighbouring countries and resolve all issues through peaceful and meaningful dialogue.
With regard to the return of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, he said when she decided and announced her programme Muttahida was the only political party which welcomed her decision. “We offered all our support to facilitate her return,” he said.
He condemned the October 18 suicidal attack on Ms Bhutto’s welcome parade.
“The MQM is against all sorts of religious fanaticism and extremism and believes in religious harmony.
‘‘It believes that time has now arrived that all progressive, liberal and democratic forces should put aside their differences for the sake of the country and unite on one platform for the abolishment and complete eradication of extremism and to establish true democracy in the country,” he observed.
SHC Bar
The Sindh High Court Bar Association has called for constitution of an inquiry commission headed by a Supreme Court judge to conduct “a thorough probe into the barbaric incident on Thursday night and causes behind it.”
A meeting of the SHCBA managing committee said the act of terrorism was a direct outcome of the policies of the present regime.
During the past eight years, it added, genuine democratic activities had been suppressed while militants were encouraged to re-group and organise themselves. “It is very unfortunate that the administration does not possess a complete list of those who went to Afghanistan for training in terrorism,” a resolution passed by the committee said.