After anti-government protesters and law enforcement personnel clashed in the federal capital, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan gave a call for a countrywide strike for today (Sunday). Khan’s call for strike was echoed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chairman Altaf Hussain who asked his supporters to observe a day of mourning on Sunday.
Khan said that by resorting to violence the government had provoked the PTI to respond in kind. He said he would hold Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan responsible for the violence.
MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi, one of the members of the mediating committee with the PAT, said, “Our effort was to prevent a law and order situation for which the government will have to use force. Now we have no choice but to stand with the victims. For this reason, the MQM has announced a countrywide strike.”
Later, MQM chief Altaf Hussain demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to voluntarily resign from his position.