Karachi corps commander, as a likely replacement for Ebad.
The meeting was also significant given the backdrop of Rangers’ raid at MQM headquarters Nine Zero in Azizabad on March 11
The prime minister was present in the city on March 11 for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the M-9 section of motorway from Karachi to Hyderabad by expanding the Super Highway. However, he had left without holding a meeting on the matter.
Lawmakers also snubbed
To further make his intentions clear that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement is no longer on the ‘welcome list’, the prime minister snubbed meeting with a delegation of the party’s lawmakers on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Sindh assembly building, MQM leader MPA Faisal Subzwari said his party’s parliamentarians had expressed their desire to meet with the prime minister but were not given an “encouraging” response.
The MQM leader said the Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Jamaat-e-Islami were hoping to see the elimination of his party so that they could grab its share in the city.
Subzwari also said the MQM was unduly being criticised both on the traditional and social media.
He said the MQM was a peaceful party and barriers were set up around its headquarters Nine Zero to prevent suicide attacks. However, he added, TV news channels and the social media were indulged in a character assassination campaign against the MQM.
“We will stage protests across the country for our rights and reach out to the masses.”
Subzwari demanded that the government should tell the public as to what charges had been proved against the people arrested in the Nine Zero raid.
Speaking about the bye-elections for NA-246, Subzwari said his party would win this constituency.
Talking to The News, other MQM leaders expressed similar views.
“The parliamentarians of the second largest party in Sindh were ignored by the prime minister,” said MQM central executive committee member Waseem Akhtar.
“The prime minister might be on a tight schedule, but he should have snubbed lawmakers like that.”
Akhtar said the operation against criminals in Karachi was not under way across the board but against one party only.
The MQM leader said now that barriers around the MQM headquarters had been removed leaving it vulnerable to terrorist attacks, those installed outside other special places should also be lifted.
To a question about PTI chief Imran Khan planning to stage a rally in Karachi, Akhtar said he could do so whenever he desired. “However, we will have to see if we will support him this time or not.”