MQM’s call for mourning paralyses Karachi

Karachi
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s call for a shutter-down strike proved to be largely effective as the city’s usual commercial activity ground to a halt all throughout Thursday.
With the Karachi Tajir Ittehad, the transporters’ association and the Private Schools Management Association having announced a shutdown of operations, all business centres, petrol pumps and educational institutes, including the University of Karachi, remained closed for the day and public transport remained grounded.
The party had taken the step to protest over what it termed ‘extrajudicial’ killings of its workers under the guise of the Karachi security operation. The province-wide strike call followed Wednesday’s recovery of Sohail Ahmed’s body, an in-charge at Sindhi Muslim Society’s Unit 64 who had been missing since December 15, from Mawach Goth.
Ahmed’s funeral prayers, offered at the Rehmania Mosque on Tariq Road, were attended by senior MQM leaders and a large number of supporters. He was then laid to rest at the Tariq Road graveyard.
The day of protest largely passed without any violence except for an incident in Korangi. According to police, armed men set a truck ablaze near the old K-Electric office in Korangi No 2 ½.
“Around 15 to 20 people stropped a truck (DRJ-6635) that was transporting cattle fodder. They pulled out the driver and set the truck on fire. However, we and the fire department responded immediately to salvage the truck and nine of the culprits were also arrested on the spot,” said an official of the Korangi police. He said that a FIR had been registered and the arrested men booked under terrorism charges.
With the desired effect having been achieved, the MQM Coordination Committee, later in the day, announced that traders and transporters could resume commercial activities. However, following MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s startling declaration of intent to quit the party, rumours of a potential reaction were soon circulating and many business owners decided to shut up shop again.

Parting speech today?
Altaf’s remarks came in an interview with a private television channel in which the MQM chief, claiming that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had “never accepted him”, accused the country’s premier agency of having implicated him in false corruption cases. Alluding to the judicial movement that led to the ouster of former president Pervez Musharaf, he alleged that the ISI’s role in the entire campaign had never been in doubt for him.
As for the killings of workers in Karachi, Altaf categorically held Sindh Chief Minsiter Qaim Ali Shah responsible for their murders and, according to a statement on the party website, alleged that the 36 activists had been killed at the behest of the provincial government.
As Altaf also expressed displeasure over Governor Ishratul Ebad’s performance, the situation was seen by many as having reached an unprecedented level and the MQM top brass was soon holding meetings to assess the scenario.
The gravity of the situation, according to a senior party official who requested anonymity, could be gauged from the fact that “he has asked us to select a new chief”. Most party leaders, however, refrained from comment.

PM’s intervention sought
Following requests by MQM Senator Babar Ghauri and the Coordination Committee, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be flying into Karachi on Friday (today) for a law and order meeting at the Governor House.
The MQM has requested PM Sharif to take notice of the unabated killings of its activists and has been assured by the premier that any person found to be involved in extrajudicial killings would be taken to task.
It was said that the MQM delegation would apprise the PM about their grievances against the Sindh government and some critical decisions were expected in this regard.

Patients suffer
A large number of patients were turned away at major public sector hospitals, including Jinnah, Civil and Abbasi Shaheed hospitals, due to a lack of transportation available because of the MQM's mourning call.
More than half of the doctors and paramedics were absent from their duties, officials said.
Other health services, including X-rays, lab tests and scans, could also not be carried out due to absence of technicians while many surgeries had to be postponed.
A small number of patients were seen at private health facilities and those who managed to reach the hospitals had to return without getting the required treatment due to absence of health professionals.
Ambulance services were also affected due to the strike and most petrol pumps and gas stations remained closed.