- Claims he does not know target killer, says he has no hopes on PM
Demanding an open trial for alleged target-killer and party activist Umair Siddiui, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain Saturday told a news channel that MQM, a party of middle-class workers, was being “intentionally maligned” and he did not even know the accused.
In his reaction to Rangers’ report on Siddiqui, who allegedly led a 23-member group that had allegedly killed 120 people in Karachi, Hussain said media trial has been launched against MQM on gun point in the same manner as it was conducted in 1992.
He also claimed that contrary to Rangers’ assertion that Siddiqui was arrested on March 11, 2015 from Nine Zero, the accused was arrested on February 15, 2015 and has been subjected to “inhumane torture” since then.
Altaf said that the Rangers personnel took statement by torturing the suspects. “The Rangers officials will have to pay for their deeds,” he said. He also accused some of the army generals of their involvement in supporting feudal culture and status quo.
“Pakistan has no (external) enemy and the protectors of this country are adamant against the country. Thus, it is the responsibility of every man with conscience to stand up and take measures for the defence of the motherland.”
He slammed that only MQM is being targeted in the entire country, while no action is being taken against the members of Jamaat e Islami (JI), from whom some al-Qaeda and Taliban affiliates were recovered.
Hussain added that he had no hopes pinned on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif under the present situation. He demanded the Sindh chief minister to swear upon the Quran and tell if he was aware of the raid at Nine Zero.
Moreover, he said that he had not sacked Anees Qaimkhani and Hammad Siddiqui for their involvement in target-killing; the Raabita (Coordination) Committee was suspended for its involvement in “illegal acts”.
