Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi leader Aamir Khan was released from Karachi Central Jail on Monday evening and shifted to his residence in Malir Cantonment amid tight security.The Sindh Home Department vacated its orders of keeping Khan in police custody for up to 60 days under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance issued on May 9 when the High Court suspended the conviction of Khan and Afaq Ahmed, heads of their separate Haqiqi factions. Sources said that Khan’s release is the result of a deal that was finalised between Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders on Saturday, and that Khan would join the MQM soon.
Sources also said that during his imprisonment, Khan had contacted the MQM leadership several times for reconciliation; and that after negotiations, the MQM – a major ally of the Pakistan People’s Party in the provincial government – gave the green signal for Khan’s release. Sources further said that when Khan was visiting his house on Saturday to observe the chehlum of his nephew, Haqiqi activists had asked him about the reconciliation process with the MQM, but he had denied any progress. However, Khan later met with MQM central leaders Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri and Raza Haroon in police custody; and after negotiations, he also talked to MQM chief Altaf Hussain over the telephone and apologised, sources added.
It is pertinent to mention here that in the late 1980s, the then Mohajir Qaumi Movement joint secretaries Khan and Ahmed changed loyalty to Hussain, and announced forming the Haqiqi faction, taking over the party’s strongholds across Karachi in the following years. However, Khan and Ahmed were arrested and their party headquarters Baitul Hamza demolished in 1993 with many cases of murder and attempted murder among others registered against them. Differences also arose between Khan and Ahmed during that time. While they were granted bail or released in many cases registered against them, they were awarded life imprisonment by Additional District and Sessions Judge Ubaid Hamza Khan in a murder case on April 7 last year.
A single High Court bench of Justice Ghulam Sarwar Korai suspended their conviction and ordered releasing Khan and Ahmed on bail against the surety of Rs 300,000 each on May 9 this year. Khan’s relative furnished the court with surety bond of Rs 300,000 on the same day and the Home Department issued the order to keep Khan in custody for 60 days. On the other hand, Ahmed feared that he would be arrested again after being released from jail, so he filed a petition in the High Court against any adverse government action.
Haqiqi-Afaq Secretary General Nadeemul Islam told Pakistan Today that Khan’s release is a result of the “deal between Khan and those who are involved in the genocide of the city’s youth”. He said that this action of Khan is a setback for the elements that seek peace and harmony in Pakistan, especially in Karachi. “Our leader will be released through the sacrifices of the mohajir youths and we shall not accept any deal from target killers and terrorists,” he added.
Haqiqi leader Aamir Khan a free man… thanks to Muttahida?
