RELATIVES OF MR ALTAF HUSSAIN, FOUNDER AND LEADER OF MQM, ARRESTED BY THE CIA (CRIME INVESTIGATION AGENCY)

Today at around 2.15 a.m. (Pakistan Time), the personnel of the CIA (Crime Investigation Agency) in mobile number SP-4939, raided the house (R-14, Block-19, Federal B. Area, Karachi) of Rizwan Qureshi (28) and Saeed Qureshi (25), sons of Abdul Sattar Qureshi and arrested them unlawfully, without any warrants. The raiding party forced their entry into the house by breaking the front door. During the raid they misbehaved with the family members and threatened them of dire consequences.

Mr. Rizwan Qureshi and Mr. Saeed Qureshi are non-political and first cousins of Mr Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of the MQM. Their arrest are reminiscent to the arrests of Mr. Nasir Hussain (66) and Mr. Arif Hussain (28), non political brother and nephew of Mr. Altaf Hussain, who were arrested on 5 December 1995 by the law enforcers including the CIA. Mr. Nasir Hussain and Mr. Arif Hussain were brutally tortured in custody of the State and extra-judicially executed on 9 December 1995, after three days of torture.

It is pertinent to mention that only a few days ago on 27 January 1999, Mr Nazim Hussain (72), elder brother of Mr Altaf Hussain expired and the entire family was in mourning. Today, the family members of Mr. Altaf Hussain are faced with yet another trauma of the arrest of Rizwan Qureshi and Saeed Qureshi.