PTI terms MQM a mafia, seeks action against it

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari on Saturday said it was shocking but not surprising to see the findings of the JIT in the Baldia Town factory fire in which at least 258 workers had burnt alive.
Mazari said this was not the first revelation - although to date it is the deadliest incident - of extortion by this political party in the urban centres of Sindh. With this revelation clearly the party is now less a political force and more a mafia organisation that has let loose a reign of terror in Karachi that resulted in the Baldia Town factory fire and that is behind the daily target killings in the city.
She demanded of the state to immediately act against this mafia and expose its political front that provides a cover for the lethal operations of the MQM. Mazari said the government must also seek a return of the exiled leader of this mafia group so that he could be tried for the death of the poor factory workers who fell victim to the MQM extortionist agenda and paid for it with their lives.
“The state must also encourage other victims of the MQM extortion and other mafia activities to come forward so that an end is put to such activities which have destroyed the very fabric of Pakistan’s financial and industrial hub Karachi,” she argued.
INP adds: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan Saturday expressed shock over the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report of Baldia Town garment factory fire that stated that it was not an accident but arson.
“Shocking to see such inhuman callousness by extortionist mafia which set fire to Baldia Town factory killing over 258 workers,” Imran Khan said in a message posted on a social media website.
Criticising the government, the PTI chief said the ruling elite has “complete disregard” for lives of ordinary citizens.
“Our ruling elite has complete disregard for lives of ordinary citizens. There must be an end to mafia politics and armed wings of pol (political) parties,” he tweeted.
APP adds from Islamabad: Imran Khan on Saturday met Afghan Ambassador Janan Yousafzai to discuss bilateral issues. According to a PTI statement, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervaiz Khattak and chief secretary were also present in the meeting. They agreed to start joint forum in trade, health and education sectors.
Our correspondent adds: PTI Central Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari expressed dismay over the rejection by the LHC of the NAB’s plea to re-open the corruption cases against the Sharifs and urged the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the matter.
She said the decision by the LHC was inexplicable as it seemed devoid of any legal basis since these cases had remained pending and only the accountability court could bring the cases to closure.