Karachi
The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh told government departments on Sunday to immediately shut down the offices of political parties at their buildings and dismiss political activists who were hired on political grounds.
In a statement, the paramilitary force said it was decided at a recent apex committee meeting that the offices of political parties and their and militant wings at government institutions would be closed at the earliest, otherwise action would be taken against them.
Besides, the services of government employees hired on political grounds or those who were not attending their offices and involved in terrorist activities should be terminated immediately so that terrorism could be curbed.
Rangers requested citizens to inform them about such offices or officers belonging to political parties or their militant wings on their helpline 1101 through a call or a text message, Whatsapp number 0316-2369996 or email rangers.madadgargmail.com.
MQM condemns move
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement coordination committee condemned the Rangers’ directives to shut down the “offices of MQM” or the “party-backed trade unions” at government or semi-government institutions and the termination of the services of MQM activists working in government departments.
In a statement, the committee said the directives were an attempt to make the Mohajir community suffer both politically and financially.
It said the MQM’s political offices were shut down as part of a conspiracy to create fear among the community. It added that some government employees feared that they would be subjected to extra-judicial murder similar to the case of Dr Farooq Sattar’s coordinator Aftab Ahmed.
The committee said banned outfits were freely carrying out their activities and could open offices in any part of the city.
In fact, it added, banned outfits had even been allowed to collect Fitra and Zakat outside mosques.
However, MQM activists were illegally being arrested and harassed.
The committee said after the killing Mohajir youths, the authorities were planning to make them suffer economically.
It said the operation in Karachi was started to eliminate terrorism from the city but it was now clear that it was aimed at eliminating the MQM from the political scenario.
It said the Rangers’ new orders were an open violation of human rights and the country’s constitution.
The committee demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif should take notice of the Rangers’ “discriminating” orders.
It also appealed to human rights organisations to raise their voice over the issue.
On Saturday, the paramilitary force had sought further cooperation from the citizens of Karachi to overcome the problem of extortion.
The spokesman for the Rangers said in a statement on Saturday that public cooperated with the paramilitary force in its drive against illegal and forcible collection of Zakat, Fitra and charitable donations.
The Rangers said that due to cooperation extended by pubic in this regard, the paramilitary force had been able to overcome this vicious activity to a large extent, but still a lot of work had to be done in this regard.
Still some terrorist outfits and political parties having militant wings had been attempting to extort money from people under the garb of doing welfare work or in the name of Zakat and Fitra, the spokesman said, adding that in illegal efforts, leading figures of such outfits were involved. All such elements had been warned that strict action would be taken against the use of coercive and threatening means to collect charitable donations from the general public.