Has due diligence been done in investigating the allegation?
The MQM has long been accused of encouraging extortionists and killers. Despite the accusations none of the charges have so far been proved in a court of law. This time a report submitted by a Rangers official in Sindh High Court maintains that the party was behind the fire incident that claimed the lives of at least 258 garment factory workers in Karachi in 2012. It is not for the first time that a Joint Investigation Team has levelled a sensational charge against the party. Two years back, another JIT had accused Ajmal Pahari, an alleged MQM activist, of involvement in no less than 111 murders. The court however had thrown out the case for lack of proof. Any major charge that the agencies make without actionable evidence provides the MQM an opportunity to portray itself as a victim and accuse the establishment of being prejudiced against the Mohajir community.
The biggest weakness in the JIT case is that it is based on the evidence of a single witness named Rizwan Qureshi. No cross-checking of his confessional statement seems to have been done before taking the case to the court. Why didn’t the agency which arrested the man interrogate MQM’s former sector in-charge? Why didn’t it question the unnamed top MQM office bearer allegedly behind the demand for Rs200 million from the factory owner? The negligence is a reflection on the efficiency of the agencies which have failed to produce a comprehensive report after nearly three years of the tragedy?
The MQM which had parted company with the PPP amidst an acrimonious debate was trying to build an alliance against the Sindh government. As the latest developments indicate the case has made it easier for the PPP to bring MQM back to the fold on the PPP’s terms. In case the agencies fail to prove the case after three years of investigation, they would have to answer a number of uneasy questions.