KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday observed a countrywide mourning day against the killing of its workers in the port city. MQM leaders and activists staged a sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s House for 10 hours with the bodies of two party activists, Faraz Alam and Nadeem Ahmed. Alam was murdered allegedly at the Khokhrapar police station. Ahmed was gunned down in an attack in Orangi. They demanded that Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah meet the families of these activists, order an investigation into the matter and ensure the arrest of their killers. In fact, the MQM chief gave Shah a “15-minute deadline” to express solidarity with the grieving families.However, when the chief minister failed to meet these demands, the protesters left with the bodies on Sunday and MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi told reporters that the party would observe a strike on Monday. The MQM claimed that despite the hours long wait, neither the chief minister nor any member of his cabinet had met with the protesters.As the limited weekend activities came to a halt in Karachi on Sunday on the call of the MQM for mourning the death of its activist in “police custody”, the party announced a strike call for Monday (today), but later withdrew it. Public transport vehicles started plying on the roads and shops opened in most of the city in the evening when MQM chief Altaf Hussain appealed for the resumption of these activities.Altaf Hussain said that if the Sindh government did not provide justice, it would not escape natural justice. The MQM activists wore black armbands and hoisted black flags on their offices to lodge their protest.Meanwhile, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon urged the MQM to review its strike call and assured the party that a judicial probe into the activist’s death would be conducted. “All other issues can be discussed through talks,” said Memon. “Strict action will be taken against those found guilty.”The minister also asked the MQM to take into consideration that schools were reopening after winter holidays on Monday. “All demands have been accepted. There’s no justification for observing a strike now.” Besides, Khursheed Shah, the leader of opposition in the National Assembly, said the MQM had the right to protest but it should not give strike calls.Later, at a joint MQM Coordination Committee meeting held simultaneously in Karachi and London, it was decided that the party would withdraw the strike call for Monday and only observe a mourning day wherein commercial activities and public transport would not be affected. Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah welcomed the MQM’s decision to withdraw the strike call and said this step would help restore peace in Karachi.Chief minister’s adviser Waqar Mehdi told The News that an impartial inquiry would be held into Alam’s case. He added that the PPP leaders were constantly in touch with the MQM leaders, including Haider Abbas Rizvi and Faisal Subzwari, at the protest outside the Chief Minister’s House.Mehdi said the government and the MQM had held talks all night and that had yielded a positive result.The funeral prayers of Faraz Alam and Nadeem Ahmed were offered at the Jinnah Ground in Azizabad with many MQM leaders and activists present on the occasion.
