- Party leader says even courts have failed to give justice to MQM whenever they have sought judges intervention in cases of missing party workers
- Khurshid Shah says MQM part of govt, should discuss issue with PPP
- Reports of aerial firing in several Sindh cities as businesses close down fearing violence
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday announced that the party will hold a peaceful day of mourning in Sindh on Friday, after bodies of four of its workers, whose bodies were found on April 30 in the Malir Memon Goth area of Karachi were identified by their family members.
Addressing an emergency press conference, MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the deceased were identified as Ali Haider, Sameet, Salman Mushtaq and Faizan Uddin. He added that two party workers, Sohaib and Ziaur Rehman who were picked up with the four deceased, were still missing.
Siddiqui informed the media that of the nine workers arrested, six had been missing until Thursday, when four of the missing had been identified among the four deceased.
“We are concerned about the lives of these two workers,” he said. He appealed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad to take measures for the security of MQM party workers who were still missing.
Siddiqui said that people have voluntarily started closing their shops in the city and assured that the day of mourning will be absolutely peaceful.
“We have filed petitions in courts every time one of our worker is arrested. The courts have, however, failed to provide justice,” Siddiqui said.
Businesses and public transport in Karachi stayed off the roads soon after the announcement.
Karachi Transport Union President Irshad Bukhari said that members of his association would not take the risk to run their transport, while All Karachi Traders Union President Atiq Mir said markets and shops would be closed.
Private Schools Management Association also announced that schools would be off on Friday.
ALTAF CONDEMNS:
MQM chief Altaf Hussain condemned the extra-judicial murders and termed them as a “barbaric act”.
He said: “We have repeatedly raised voice over the raids, abductions and torture on MQM workers carried out by the death squads of police and other law enforcement agencies.”
“They turned a deaf ear to our pleas and protests and they did not take notice of the killings. Judiciary also did not take any suo moto action on the killings,” he added.
TENSE SITUATION:
After the MQM’s announcement, businesses started closing down and there were incidents of aerial firing in several areas of the city. Public transport had also ceased operation in the city.
IG Sindh Iqbal Mahmood alerted the police in the city and ordered them to arrest anyone who was forcefully closing down businesses in the area.
A similar situation was observed in Hyderabad. Unknown individuals forcibly closed down businesses in various areas of the city.
PPP WARNS MQM:
Pakistan People’s Party senior leader Khurshid Shah called on the MQM to withdraw its strike call, saying they were a part of the government and should discuss the issue with his party instead of forcing businesses to shut down.
