As many as eight more Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) offices in Karachi were razed on Saturday after Rangers and police heightened crackdown against the political party.
A total of 20 of MQM’s offices have been demolished while 200 others remain sealed since a crackdown was initiated against the party on Thursday over anti-state remarks by the party chief, Altaf Hussain. On Saturday, offices were razed in Al-Hilal Society, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Baloch Colony, Lines Area and Landhi by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) amid tight security.
Meanwhile, the government formally contacted British authorities on Friday to commence legal action against Altaf Hussain. On August 21, the MQM workers had attacked media offices after party supremo Altaf Hussain delivered an inflammatory speech and uttered anti-state remarks. A day later, senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar addressed a press conference and announced to run the party affairs from Karachi.
Hussain had apologised to the army chief saying he was under severe mental stress while delivering the aforementioned speech. According to Hussain, the treatment being meted out to the MQM had left him disturbed.