MQM split may lead to clashes in Karachi: interior minister

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Azam Khan on Sunday said the rift within Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) could lead to clashes in Karachi during the general election.

“Although there is peace in the metropolis right now, the split within the MQM can lead to clashes,” the minister said while speaking to Geo News regarding the general election scheduled for July 25.

“Politicians should refrain from personal attacks against each other,” Azam stressed. Stating that the election process across the country would be monitored from a control room in Islamabad, he said, “Some districts of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are sensitive.” Azam said, “We will hold a meeting through National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) with heads of political parties on the code of conduct for election.” Azam Khan said threats of terrorism during the elections were present. He said that the sensitive agencies had issued alert that the threat to political parties and leaders was present and some terrorist incident could happen. Azam Khan said he could not tell the specific name of any leader in this regard. Azam Khan said that banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is continuing to carryout such activities, adding that the reports about Daesh are also coming but these reports are not confirmed. He said that Daesh is present in Afghanistan. He said that the threats are posed by these two groups. Azam Khan said the Election Commission had called the army and interior ministry had not been consulted in this regard. He said consultation should have been carried out as the interior ministry was responsible for maintaining law and order. He said the chief election commissioner better thought to call the army at polling stations, adding that he could not say anything about this.