Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain says his party is liberal and democratic, and has no armed wing.
“MQM is a party of liberal, democratic and progressive thoughts which believes in non-violence and equality for all beyond race, ethnicity, culture and religion,” the MQM chief said in a statement from London. He claimed that MQM has no militant wing.
“If a few people from the party, which is elected by millions of people, have taken law into their hands, it should be seen as their individual act which has never been party’s policy,” he said, referring to the arrest of several party men who were arrested from MQM headquarters i.e. Nine Zero, during a raid conducted by paramilitary forces last week.
On Wednesday, the Rangers raided Nine Zero and surrounding areas, seizing a “huge quantity” of weapons and arrested several suspects, including some convicts.
The raid sparked an angry response from MQM whose leader Altaf Hussain claimed that the security personnel brought weapons and ammunitions ‘wrapped in blankets’ with them and then claimed recovery from there. He also denied that any arrest has taken place.
However, the security forces denied the charge. They produced over 80 party suspects in a local court and got a 90-day remand for over 50 of them, including senior MQM leader Amir Khan.
Altaf Hussain further said in the statement that his party did not want any confrontation with police and Rangers.
“Some elements on social media are involved in provocation against police and Rangers. They have no connection with MQM,” he said.
