Altaf Hussain decides on a hunger strike in ‘protest’

KARACHI:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rabita Committee appealed to Altaf Hussain to take back his decision regarding the ‘hunger strike’ late on Sunday.

Earlier, Hussain had released a statement in which he announced the decision to go on a hunger strike till death.

The MQM chief has decided to go on a hunger strike against what he calls ‘illegal’ detention of his party activists by security forces.

Preparations are being made for the hunger strike, according to the statement given.

“I have promised the people that I will die rather than bow my head in front of tyrants,” said Hussain on Sunday.

“Federal and provincial government, the army, rangers and other security agencies of the state are busy in targeting innocent people, due to which I have taken a decision to go on a hunger strike,” added Hussain.

“After my death, all party affairs will be handled by Rabita Committee, and it will be their decision whether or not to continue my political movement,” Hussain stated.

Earlier on Friday, a contingent of Rangers paramilitary force raided Nine Zero, the headquarters of MQM, in Karachi’s Azizabad neighbourhood and detained two members of MQM’s Rabita Committee.

This is the second raid by Rangers on Nine Zero this year.

According to an earlier press release issued by Sindh Rangers, Qamar Mansoor and Kaiful Warah were arrested from Azizabad on the charges of “arranging and facilitating hate speeches against the peace of Karachi”.

Rangers later announced the release of MQM Rabita Committee’s member Kaiful Warah on Friday evening on sureties till Eidul Fitr.

First Information Reports (FIR) were also registered against Altaf Hussain at police stations in various regions of Sindh on the night between Monday and Tuesday for what the government has regarded as his “inflammatory remarks” against the military.

During his speech earlier on Sunday, Hussain called upon the army chief to take notice of the alleged violation of the army’s code of conduct by director general of Sindh Rangers and other officials and urged him to do justice in the matter.The MQM chief had also accused Sindh Rangers of torturing and murdering party workers.