- Rangers claim recovering Indian-made weapons in raid on MQM local office
- Sindh police AIG says killer of senior lawyer arrested who claims of links with MQM
- MQM rejects allegations, says party being maligned on purpose
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) cried foul on Tuesday as law enforcement agencies claimed to have recovered Indian-made weapons from an MQM office during a raid on Tuesday morning, as well as arresting a purported killer with links to the Altaf Hussain-led party.
The former ruling party found itself in hot waters as police claimed to have arrested the self-confessed killer of Advocate Naimat Ali Randhwana who declared affiliation with the MQM.
The Pakistan Rangers Sindh chapter said the recovery of Indian-made arms from the office of the MQM proved that political parties had anti-state elements in their ranks and files.
In a late night statement, MQM spokesman rejected the allegations of recovery of Indian-made weapons from party’s Landhi office, calling the allegations as “baseless and a cooked up story”.
He said the MQM’s office in question was under the use of people’s elected representatives and it was being visited by the people of the locality for the solution of their problems.
“Coming into the light of such an allegation in the wake a press conference clearly indicates that it was a fabricated and a baseless allegation and part of plan of maligning the MQM,” the spokesman added.
He said even in the past, baseless allegations including that of Jinnahpur were levelled and fake and bogus maps were presented in this connection to paint the MQM as an anti-state party, but afterwards those who levelled such allegations admitted that the Jinnahpur saga was merely a drama.
“Only recently, a provoking issue of Mohajir Republican Army was raised, thereafter efforts were made to level allegation concerning disappearance of 19,000 NATO containers against former federal minister Babar Ghauri, a clarification of which by DG Rangers was part of record and now a fake and fabricated allegation had been levelled against the MQM that is a highly regretful act,” the spokesman added.
Earlier, Declaring the ongoing targeted operation in the city “partial”, MQM Coordination Committee member Dr Sagheer Ahmed said the MQM condemned the raid and ransacking of its office by Rangers in Korangi.
Dr Sagheer Ahmed said more than 15 workers and sympathisers of the party were taken into custody by paramilitary troops without any reason. He alleged that the Rangers took precious valuables and important files from the office with them.
“We condemned the statement of Rangers that the arrested MQM workers are terrorists and involved in criminal activities,” Ahmed said, adding that the MQM “demanded the president, prime minister, chief justice of Pakistan and Rangers director general take action against those officers who made this targeted operation suspicious by raiding MQM offices, arrest of workers by involving them in fake cases and inhuman treatment with arrested party workers during custody.”
He also demanded the head of law enforcement agencies to search those officers in their ranks who were arresting party workers to get revenge and take strict action against them.
“High-ups of the federal and provincial governments, police and Rangers should think that ongoing targeted operation in Karachi has been started to target MQM only,” he said, adding that “unlawful and unconstitutional treatment of government and law enforcers with MQM has fanned anger of the public”.
“MQM chief Altaf Hussain was the first political leader who demanded an army operation in the city against criminals,” he said, adding that “he is the only leader who has always shown reservations over city’s prevailing law and order and demanded operation in Karachi repeatedly”.
“The federal and provincial governments, police and Rangers has assured that the operation against the criminals in the city would not be politicised,” he said, adding that “It was also assured that offices of any political party would not be raided and innocent people would not be arrested, but the reality is different.”
Responding to MQM allegation, a Pakistan Rangers statement said the press conference by the political party was a failed attempt to mislead the citizens, who have suffered severely at the hands of criminals and anti-social elements.
Rangers said that prohibited Indian military weapons recovered from the so-called office were substantive proof of presence of criminals and anti-state elements in the ranks and files of political parties.
“Rangers has condcuted more than 1,000 operations in the city and it is not our tradition to stoop so low in our conduct,” the Rangers spokesman said, adding that “looting of office equipment and other items and wall chalking must have been done by criminals within the folds of the political party”.
“Such tactics will not deter Rangers’ resolve to fight crime and terrorism in the city and we pledge to provide peace to all Karachiites,” the spokesman vowed.
Also, Sindh Additional Inspector General (AIG) Shahid Hayat told media about the arrest of person of suspect who confessed to the killing of Sindh High Court (SHC) senior lawyer Naimat Ali Randhawa.
Randhawa was killed by unidentified armed assailants near Board Office Chowrangi when he was on his way towards home from Sindh Bar Council in a car along with his son. His son was injured in the attack.
The AIG told a press conference that the accused, who identified himself as Kazim Abbas Rizvi, had claimed that he was an MQM worker and working with the party Unit 178.
He said the suspect confessed to killing eight people. During the course of investigation, the accused disclosed the plan under which they killed SHC lawyer. He said the arrested man told police that he carried out the attack on Randhawa with four companions.
Hayat said the arrest of Kazmi could prove a breakthrough in the murder of reporter Wali Khan Baber.
The AIG said a 9mm pistol was also recovered from the custody of the accused.