MQM be allowed to contest LB polls: Sattar

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Dr Farooq Sattar said on Thursday that the party should be allowed to contest local bodies (LB) elections and they would voluntarily surrender to law enforcing agencies after the elections.
Meanwhile the police stopped the rally of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) at Numaish Chowrangi, barring it from entering the Red Zone.The MQM took out the rally to protest against alleged illegal arrest of its workers.
The protest rally commenced from Liaquatabad and was scheduled to culminate at the Rangers Headquarters located near Sindh Assembly, but police stopped the participants led by MQM’s leadership near Numaish Chowrangi.
The police forces deployed were under orders to stop the rally at Quaid-i-Azam’s Mausoleum. MQM leaders also stopped the party workers and supporters from moving forward.
Security forces had earlier sealed the sensitive area around the Rangers Headquarters, which is in close proximity to the Governor House, CM House and other important state buildings.The police stated that it would not allow the rally to enter the Red Zone in Karachi’s Saddar area.
High-ranking police officials, including DIG South and Sindh IG Ghulam Haider Jamali told media personnel that they would not allow the protesters to enter the sensitive area and would employ water canons to disperse the crowd if need be.
Authorities had also placed barriers along the routes leading to the Red Zone in order to stop the rally from proceeding. The roads around the area witnessed heavy traffic congestion due to the blockades.MQM’s leadership, on the other hand, said it would end the protest rally where stopped and would respect the law.
The party claimed that 22 of its workers were busy with the election campaign for the upcoming LG polls when they were arrested by the law enforcement agencies. The party alleged it was an attempt to curtail the activities of the most favoured contender in Karachi days before the polling day.