the MQM headquarters, but no raid has been carried out at the office of any other political party during the operation. The second raid was conducted on the 29th night of Ramazan.”
The MQM founder further said: “The in-charge of the Coordination Committee, Kahfilwara, and member Qamar Mansoor were arrested during the second raid. It was alleged that they have organised the speech of Altaf Hussain. They heard the speech and clapped on it. Which law forbids anybody from holding the speech, hearing it and clapping on it?”
He said that the DG Rangers could not absolve himself of the extrajudicial killings and excesses committed during the ongoing operation in Karachi as the Rangers were leading the operation with the full backing of the Sindh government.
Hussain condemned a former Sindh police chief for making unfounded allegations against the MQM. He added that the ex-IGP was responsible for the killings of hundreds of MQM workers and Murtaza Bhutto.
When he asked the workers and office-bearers if the MQM should be disbanded because of state repression, they replied in one voice that they were ready to bear anything for the sake of the party.
Hussain said bold decisions would have to be taken as the MQM was meant for giving a better future to the coming generations. “When workers are giving sacrifices, the leaders and office-bearers should also prepare themselves mentally.”
MQM to protest
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced plans to hold a peaceful demonstration on Friday (today) outside the head office of a media group, located near Zainab Market in Saddar, over what the party termed as an “anti-Mohajir and anti-MQM campaign” being spearheaded by its television channel.
A statement issued by the MQM Rabita Committee accused the media group of "using notorious killers to spread false and fabricated reports against MQM to vilify it and distort the image of Mohajirs in the eyes of the people of Pakistan".
Referring to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s statement, the committee claimed the statement was evidence of the fact that government agencies were funding the anti-MQM campaign. The committee appealed to people across Sindh to participate in the demonstration.
Provincial chapters of the party were also directed to hold protests in their respective provinces outside the local press clubs. The statement reiterated the MQM's support for freedom of the press, but asserted that no one should be allowed to defame a particular political party, community or a segment of the population.