Govt set to reveal skeletons in MQM’s closet

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  • Govt might re-open KESC MD’s assassination case, put MQM senior leaders’ name on ECL
  • Sources say Sindh governor expected to resign in 48 hours while spokesman denies possibility
  • Interior minister says Saulat Mirza’s execution stayed over health issues

 

A day after death-row convict Saulat Mirza had his hanging deferred by hurling serious allegations at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the government has decided to re-open the murder case of former Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) managing director Shahid Hamid while it is also mulling to put the names of senior MQM leaders on the Exit Control List (ECL), sources told Pakistan Today on Thursday.

The government will re-open the case on the formal request of the Sindh government– something which could also lead to further delaying Mirza’s execution by a month, sources in the Interior Ministry added.

On the other hand, MQM leaders whose names are under consideration for being placed on the ECL include Babar Ghauri, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Wasay Jalil, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Aamir Khan, Waseem Akhtar and Senator Tahir Mashhadi.

The sources claimed that the Interior Ministry has directed airport authorities to monitor the movement of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, however, they have decided against placing his name on the ECL.

The sources further said MQM workers Hammad Siddiqui and Saleem Shehzad who fled from the country are being called back.

SINDH GOVERNOR PACKING UP?

Furthermore, sources have claimed that Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad will resign within the next 48 hours. The development comes after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar called the governor early Thursday morning.

The sources went on to add that Ebad is scheduled to go for pilgrimage within the next two days and will resign before he leaves.

“The federal government has given him [Ebad] a clear message to tender his resignation. Otherwise, they will remove him from the post forcibly,” sources said, adding that Dr Ebad has begun consultations with friends and constitutional experts over his resignation.

On the other hand, a Governor House’s spokesman denied reports of Ebad’s resignation, saying that no decision had been made so far in this regard.

Speculations regarding the Sindh governor’s resignation came hours after Mirza “confessed” that Dr Ebad provided protection to criminals and party workers in police stations.

In a “video confession”, Mirza had also alleged that he received the order for a ‘hit’ on KESC MD from Altaf Hussain on the phone at MQM leader Babar Ghauri’s residence.

The confession led to President Mamnoon Hussain’s ordering the postponement of Mirza’s hanging by 72 hours.

NISAR MAKES A ‘HEALTHY’ POINT:

In the meanwhile, clarifying the reason for the stay in executions of death-row convicts, Saulat Mirza and Shafqat Hussain, who were scheduled to be hanged early Thursday morning, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said their executions have been halted for 72 hours owing to different reasons.

“We have put on hold Saulat Mirza’s execution for 72 hours owing to health concerns,” the minister apprised the National Assembly on Thursday.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the minister skirted around the issue of the convict’s heavy allegations from his death cell, but added that Mirza was involved in other heinous murders along with that of former KESC MD.

6 COMMENTS

  1. A typical PT article with tone of conviction that MQM is the real culprit…I request u guys to ponder just for a little while why ur news paper is not getting popularity as compared to DAWN or Express Tribune

  2. Federal government seems to have become extremely public-minded which can be judged from the fact of its getting concerned over his health, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stayed the execution of Saulat Mirza who is reported to have murdered many in addition to KESC MD. Now if the government gets so concerned over the health of a convicted mass murderer, just consider how much more worried it would be about the health of innocent citizens, but unfortunately we don't see that.

    And how much the government values human beings is clearly demonstrated by the fact that on the words of a convicted murderer, it has seriously started considering puttying the names of many of the MQM's senior leaders on ECL.

    And there was the famous raid conducted at Nine-Zero by Sindh Rangers and weapons were confiscated some of which were claimed by them to have been from stolen NATO containers while NATO/ISAF deny they ever sent any weapons through Pakistani land route. And Karachi Corps Commander rushed to Sindh Rangers Headquarters to congratulate them profusely for the event and to inspect the weapons. While the Rangers have officers seconded from regular army, they still remain a civilian force under civilian government's control but Karachi Corps Commander's dash to Rangers' headquarters seems to suggest that perhaps the military has also become directly involved in the issue.

    And now according to media reports, Uzair Baloch, whose return to Pakistan has become a dodgy affair, has claimed that he staged many murders on the direct orders of senior PPP leaders. Surprisingly, this case does not seem to have been pursued with the same degree of excitement and enthusiasm by the media, the government, the agencies or any other force.

    And the killing of fourteen innocent people and wounding of another eighty at Dr. Tahirul Qadri's secretariat seems to have been fixed by a JIT formed by the government, before which many, including Shahbaz Sharif appeared and claimed their innocence but which Dr. Tahirul Qadri's people have boycotted as not being impartial. Surprisingly, not much interest is shown in that either by the media, the government, the agencies or any other powerful party in the country despite army chief's initial involvement in the issue, at least to the extent of registration of an FIR about the killing as demanded by Dr. Tahirul Qadri.

    This clearly shows that widely different levels of concerns are being practised over the killing of innocent human beings, with the level depending on the party considered guilty.

    Karachi

  3. It's high time the Karachi massacre of 12 May 2007 was properly investigated. According to widespread reports both Altaf and his then mentor Musharraf are implicated. We all recall 'Fateh Kargill' raising hands to celebrate 'Karachi's display of strength'.

    • What time will be the high time to properly investigate the 14 December 1986 massacre of Aligarh and Qasba, The massacre of Pukka Qila Hayderabad, 30 September massacre of Hyderabad? No answer at all? Yes! because they all were not sons of soil.
      Beside, which party except MQM issued the name and addresses of their martyred of 12 May incident? MQM lost over 14 its workers and supporters in the incident. But no one care of their blood. Once again! because they were not sons of soil.

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