MQM lays all blame on ANP for ‘disrupting peace of city’

The Awami National Party (ANP) is responsible for the intense firing during the ‘Almi Mushaira’ organised by the Defence and Clifton Residents Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday, said MQM Rabita Committee member Kanwar Naveed Jamil, flanked by Qasim Ali Raza, Yousuf Shahwani, Gul Faraz Khan Khattak and Tauseef Khanzada, at a press conference held at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Monday.
The press conference was called to “inform the people of Pakistan about the elements that are responsible for undermining the environment of peace and amity in Karachi by their vicious activities.”
Jamil said that the MQM is committed to restore the glory of Karachi and is striving to promote political, cultural and social activities in the city with a view to giving a message to the world that there is peace and tranquillity in Karachi, which is also the epicentre of economic activities in the country.
He said that the MQM wants the world to know that political, social and cultural activities are thriving in the city and continue even late in the night.
The venue of the mushaira was in the vicinity of the Dou Talwar area of Clifton, and noted poets from Pakistan and outside the country were invited to charm the audience with their poetry.
MQM leaders, elected representatives and dignitaries, and a large number of local residents had also come to attend the mushaira.
Jamil said, “No sooner had the programme started than the terrorists started firing with their modern, automatic weapons. Commotion and disorder followed in the mushaira and it was evident that the terrorists had come with the aim to sabotage the programme.”
He said that the firing continued for quite some time and the vehicles of the audience, the police and other people were also vandalised.
The unfortunate attack of the armed assailants was covered live by various television channels and it was seen by people across the country, he added.
He also said, “The police personnel present on the scene for security purpose challenged the terrorists and returned fire. One of the terrorists, identified as Kamran Khan, was killed by the firing of the police, while other terrorists managed to flee the scene. The terrorist killed in the police encounter belongs to the ANP. The attackers who managed to escape also belong to the ANP.”
Jamil said that on the one hand, the leaders of the ANP speak ad nauseam about the philosophy of non-violence of Bacha Khan day in and day out, but on the other hand, the ANP resorts to blatant terrorism for spoiling peace in Karachi.
He said, “The ANP terrorists are actively involved in extortion, looting and terrorism in Karachi. It does not befit the elements carrying out terrorism for their vested interests and brandishing latest automatic weapons to speak about the philosophy of Bacha Khan.”
He also said, “The ANP terrorists had attacked the offices of Jang and Geo Television some days ago and manhandled cable operators. They had roughed up the cable operators and threatened them with dire consequences. Expensive cables were cut in different parts of the city, causing huge financial loss to the cable operators.”
These incidents would have made it abundantly clear to the people of Pakistan that it is the ANP that is directly responsible for bloodshed and terrorism in Karachi, he added.
The MQM leader said, “We believe that the ANP government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has failed miserably in protecting the lives and properties of the people, and the tales of corruption are commonplace. The provincial government of the ANP is being dubbed as the most corrupt government in the country.”
He said that it is because of this reason that the ANP is looking at controlling Karachi by resorting to terrorism, but the people of Karachi are determined that they would not succumb to the terrorism unleashed by the ANP.
He also said that the MQM has resolved that they would not hesitate from offering any sacrifice for continuing political, social and cultural activities for bringing durable peace in Karachi.
“The MQM is a peace-loving and democratic party. It believes in the policy of ‘live and let live’. Nevertheless, we would like to make it clear to the handful of terrorists that are trying to control Karachi that the policy of peace should not be misconstrued as weakness on the part of the MQM,” he added.
Jamil said, “We appeal to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan through this press conference to take action against the ANP terrorists and their sponsors involved in the attack on the ‘Almi Mushaira’.”
He said, “The ANP terrorists involved in terrorism and looting in Karachi should be dealt with strongly according to law. Steps must be taken on urgent basis to foil the conspiracy to subvert peace in Karachi.”
On behalf of the MQM, Jamil praised the police personnel who challenged the terrorists, and the media persons who covered the incident live and showed the world the real face of the ANP.