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MQM headquarters, offices sealed in Karachi after Altaf speech

By Web Desk
August 23, 2016

KARACHI: Authorities on Tuesday sealed Nine Zero, the headquarters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), after self exiled leader Altaf Hussain delivered a speech to his party workers, instigating attacks on private TV channels.

The Rangers and police have launched a crackdown against the party, sealing many offices in different parts of the city and arresting many workers. The crackdown was widened to other parts of Sindh as police raided its offices in Hyderabad and elsewhere.

The MQM chief, who has faced a media blackout for his rants against the state and military, went on to instigate violence against media after the party ended its hunger strike against what it said excess meted out to the party during the course of on-going operation against criminal elements in Karachi.

Altaf Hussain gave a telephonic address to his supporters in which he castigated the media for not giving due coverage of his workers and ordered them to attack Geo News, ARY and Samaa.

Following the speech, the authorities took Farooq Sattar, Amir Liaquat, Izharul Hassan and many other leaders and workers of the party with Director General Sindh Rangers assuring private media channels of security.

Political parties condemned Altaf Hussain’s speech and called for action against those who attacked media houses.

Irum Farooqi, a female MQM lawmaker in Sindh Assembly, decided to resign from the party and the assembly after Hussain’s anti-Pakistan speech. MNA Abdul Rashid Godil, Babur Ghori, Faisal Subzwari and Senator Tahir Mashhadi also seemed to detest the speech delivered by their boss against Pakistan as they tweeted about their feelings for the country.

 

A number of Pakistanis have approached the UK’s Scotland Yard seeking action against Altaf Hussan who has lived there since he left Pakistan in the early 90s.