Farooq Sattar terms May 12 carnage ‘a conspiracy against MQM’

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday called the May 12 incident "a conspiracy against MQM", said a Geo News report.

On May 12, 2007, at least 48 people were killed and over 140 injured in the city after a major portion of Sharea Faisal turned into a battlefield as opposing political groups clashed with one another after the arrival of then deposed chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry at the Karachi airport. The deposed chief justice had flown in to address lawyers at the Sindh High Court but he had to return due to the violence in the city.

Speaking at a press conference earlier on Saturday, the MQM leader said that as many as 14 people affiliated with the party were killed in the violence.

"It was a dark day. It left many bitter memories. Political parties tried to put the entire blame on the MQM," he said. "The MQM was the target on the day. It was a conspiracy against us."

Sattar said no one benefitted from the violence on that day. "It was a loss for all parties. The High Court’s Commission report is in the court. No other party has submitted its list of martyrs."

The MQM-P leader regretted that even after 11 years, the state had been unable to identify the perpetrators behind the tragedy.