- Rangers arrest four MQM activists from KU Staff Town for allegedly planning attack on Ismailis
Investigation into the attack on Ismailis’ bus in Karachi’s Safoora Goth area, which claimed 45 lives, has revealed that the Rangers have arrested four suspects associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) from the Karachi University (KU)’s Staff Town for their alleged involvement in planning the assault, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Per details, a heavy contingent of Rangers surrounded KU’s Staff Town late on May 20, targeted some houses and picked up four MQM activists associated with MQM’s Scheme-33 Unit, including a former unit in-charge.
The arrested men were identified as Muhammad Shahid alias Athara, Zeeshan Amin alias Shaan, Muhammad Adnan Habib alias Charas and his brother Muhammad Faizan Habib alias Fido.
Shahid has been serving as a clerk in KU’s accounts section and had also served as MQM Scheme-33 unit in-charge. Zeeshan has been serving as a clerk in KU’s audit department, whose brother Umair Amin was arrested few months ago for alleged involvement in targeted killings in Karachi.
Adnan has been serving as non-teaching staff in KU’s Chemistry Department while his brother Faizan was said to be associated with the Department of Health and Physical Education. The arrested men had been residing in KU’s Staff Town for many years.
“These suspects allegedly took part in planning of the attack and were not part of the actual strike,” an official of a security agency told Pakistan Today. However, Rangers high-ups did not comment on the arrests despite repeated phone calls and text messages.
Earlier, Rangers arrested KU’s security guard, Muhammad Javed alias Javed Mohajir son of Muhammad Shariff, in November 2013. He was associated with MQM and accused of killing several people on May 12, 2007 on arrival of former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in Karachi.
MQM REJECTS CHARGES:
However, MQM has rejected the allegations levelled against the arrested party workers, claiming that MQM workers are “true patriots and cannot even think of becoming a part of any anti-state activity”.
MQM Central Executive Committee (CEC) member Aminul Haque said that MQM is a “peace-loving democratic party”. “MQM had been accused of making Jinnahpur maps and supporting India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) secret mission in the country in the past. However, those who levelled these allegations against the party took their words back,” Haque added.
“MQM has been accused again for attacking Ismaili community, but it would be proved shortly that MQM has no link with this incident,” Haque maintained.