Top Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar said on Thursday he along with other MQM leaders and party workers would voluntarily surrender before security agencies for arrest after local body polls, due on December 5.
Speaking to MQM workers and supporters during a protest rally which turned into a sit-in at Numaish Chowrangi after police barred the protesters from moving towards the Red Zone, Sattar said the MQM was a victim of state terrorism for the past two years and it could not continue its political activities if law enforcement agencies continue raiding its offices. “4,000 MQM workers were arrested while 5,000 raids were conducted on our offices,” claimed Sattar.
The senior MQM leader claimed that some forces were trying to cultivate MQM leaders’ image as criminals, adding that “MQM is a political party and will talk about politics wherever and whenever it gets a chance.”
“Today, you witnessed a million march, on December 5 (election day) there will be a billion march,” said Sattar.
Later the sit-in ended after MQM leader Amir Khan ordered the party supporters and workers to disperse peacefully.
Earlier in the day, police stopped the MQM rally at Numaish Chowrangi, barring it from entering the Red Zone. The MQM had taken out the rally to protest against alleged illegal arrest of 22 workers who it said were busy in election campaign.
The police forces deployed were under orders to stop the rally at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum.
Security forces had earlier sealed the sensitive area around the Rangers Headquarters, which is in close proximity to the Governor’s House, CM House and other important state buildings.
High-ranking police officials, including DIG-South and Sindh IG Ghulam Haider Jamali, told media personnel that they would not allow protesters to enter the sensitive area.