KARACHI, June 15: While the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Friday expressed concerns over what it described as the failure of law-enforcement agencies to curb targeted killings and extortion, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon admitted that the reservations of the coalition party are justified though besides MQM workers, members of the Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party and other parties are also targeted.
The MQM wrote a letter to the Sindh chief minister to draw his attention over the killing of innocent citizens, including its workers and sympathisers.
Asked about the MQM letter, Mr Memon told reporters outside the assembly hall on Friday that the government took certain serious measures to curb targeted killings and extortion and Rangers and police were carrying out operations.
He said that it was not possible for any government to deploy police and Rangers at every nook and corner of the city. The new strategy adopted by the government would certainly bear fruit, he hoped.
Earlier, MQM leaders Syed Faisal Sabzwari and Raza Haroon held a press conference in their assembly chamber and distributed the copies of the letter they said had been written to the chief minister.
In the letter, MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Faisal Sabzwari drew the attention of the CM towards the killing of dozens of innocent citizens of Karachi, including a large number of MQM workers and sympathisers in the past few weeks.
“Had it been the mystery that who these killers who appear to be stronger than the law-enforcement agencies and writ of the government then we might not have shown our shock to the rampant killings. But, as we all know that a group of gangsters, who have been involved in targeted killings of innocent people and MQM workers, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, drugs and arms paddling and other heinous crimes, are infamous criminals who are at one time or other patronised politically as well. These mercenaries are not only harming the MQM and citizens of Karachi, but with dirty tactics of extortion and kidnapping for ransom, they are killing the very economy of Karachi.”
Referring to the Wednesday strike by traders, the MQM leader stated in the letter that if economy of Karachi got shattered, the entire province and even the country’s economic activities came to a halt. “We hope that the concerned offices do not misjudge the gravity of situation and necessary, visible, stern actions are taken against the mercenaries at earliest.”
Responding to a question, Mr Sabzwari said that those persons who had bounty on their heads should not be presented as heroes and should be arrested lest the people should stop paying heed to the appeal of restraint by MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Mr Haroon said that if a guarantee was provided that peace would be restored if the MQM quit the government, they were prepared to part ways with the government.