Khawaja Izhar injured in accident near Toll Plaza

Khawaja Izharul Hassan, senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and former opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, was injured on the night between Saturday and Sunday when he met a road accident near the Karachi Toll Plaza while returning to Karachi from Ghotki where he had a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

His three security guards were also injured in the mishap. The MQM-P leader and the guards were shifted to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) where they are still admitted. The condition of Hassan is stated to be out of danger.

MQM-P leader Sanjay Parwani, who had accompanied Hassan in Ghotki and was returning to Karachi with him in another car, informed media persons about the accident of Hassan’s vehicle. According to Parwani, the accident occurred due to a lack of diversion sign on the motorway. “Khawaja Izharul Hassan’s vehicle, which was moving at full throttle, skidded off the road, causing injuries to him and his guards,” he said, adding that Hassan’s Vigo was also hit by a vehicle from behind.

Parwani explained that Hassan had received injuries to his chest and head but his condition was out of danger and he was being treated in a ward. Regarding the injured guards, he said two of them were in a critical state.

Following the accident, scores of MQM-P leaders and workers, including Faisal Subzwari, Amir Khan and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Pak Sarzameen Party leader Dr Sagheer Ahmed reached the hospital to enquire after Hassan.

Other political leaders who visited the AKUH to see Hassan included Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA and Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi and Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani.

Earlier in September 2017, Hassan had escaped an assassination attempt when he was returning after Eid prayers but his security guard and a passer-by lost were killed in the ambush.

CM visits Hassan

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also visited the MQM-P’s injured leader and inquired about his health. The CM was accompanied by Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh and Information Adviser Murtaza Wahab.

Shah spent some time with the MQM-P leader and also met the doctors who were supervising his treatment to discuss Hassan’s case. The CM also enquired after Hassan’s police guard who was under treatment at the hospital. He presented him a bouquet of flowers and assured him that best medical treatment would be provided to him.

After the AKUH visit, the CM went to see progress of work on two underpasses being constructed on Shaheed-e-Millat Road. He directed the contractor to complete work on the underpasses by the end of June 2019.