Leaders of Mutahhida Qaumi Movement and JSQM have postponed Tuesday general strike but issued a firm ultimatum that if all the dismissed employees of Pakistan Steel Mills were not reinstated and Muttahida Leader Dr. Farooq Sattar not brought back to Karachi by evening of February twenty seven, there will be full scale general strike on February through out Sindh.

Karachi, February 21 (P.R.) …the leaders of Muttahida Quami Movement and Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz have jointly agreed to postpone the general strike scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday), but issued firm ultimatum that if all the dismissed employees of the Pakistan Steel Mill were not reinstated to their jobs latest by evening of Sunday February twenty-seven and Dr. Farooq Sattar an eminent leader of Mutahhida was not brought back to Karachi from Islamabad, a decisive massive general strike would be held throughout Sindh.

The press conference was attended jointly by leaders of Muttahida Quami Movement, Senator Aftab Shaikh, Senator Mrs Nasreen Jalil, JAQAM leaders Bashir Quereshi, Zain Shah, Ghulam Shah, Sohail Memon and Riaz Chandio, while addressing hurriedly summoned press conference at the press club, Karachi. This was also attended by other Muttahida leaders, Mustafa Kamal Rizvi, Zahid Quereshi and Abdul Qadir Lakhani. Mr Bashir Quereshi, addressing the conference demanded immediate arrest of all those police officials and other agencies involved in physical torture and victimisation of their party workers and award exemplary punishment to them. They also demanded immediate release of all political workers unlawfully arrested in Karachi and rest of the Sindh province.

They firmly said if these conditions were not met by fixed date, they would be forced to go on massive peaceful protest campaign throughout province. Both the leaders emphatically demanded that Dr. Farooq Sattar, a prominent Muttahida leader is also immediately brought back to Karachi from Islamabad.

Mr. Aftab Ahmad Shaikh, Deputy Convenor of the MQM Co-ordination Committee charged that during peaceful protest demonstration, atrocities were let loose on them even the journalists were victimised, all such action of the police were illegal and unconstitutional.

Senator Aftab Sheikh disclosed that Dr. Farooq Sattar was due to be presented before the N.A.B court tomorrow (Tuesday) but surprisingly he was presented before the court today and by evening he was shifted to Islamabad. He regretted that the Islamabad climate has been extremely cold, but Dr. Farooq Sattar was taken to Islamabad without proper clothing and necessary medicines, where services of advocates are also not available.

The leaders retreated that if third degree method were applied on Dr. Farooq Sattar to obtain pre written "Confessional Statement" statement, it would spell serious consequences and severe mass reaction.

They said that if we were compelled to go on strike on February 28. Then we would contact the Grand Democratic Alliance for their participation in the strike call.

Mr. Bashir Quereshi said that we represent the whole Sindh and we are permanent residents of this province and added the present victimisation has further strengthened our unity, understanding and co-operation among Mohajirs and Sindhis.

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