FIRING ON MQM WORKERS IN RANCHORE LINE AREA OF KARACHI

ONE SUPPORTER KILLED, FIVE OTHERS INJURED

SUNNI TEHRIK OUT TO DESTROY PEACE IN KARACHI: MQM

KARACHI (JUNE 15, 2005) --- The Rabita Committee of Muttahida Quami Movement said today that Sunni Therik was out to destroy the peace of Karachi and had resorted to firing on MQM workers in the Ranchore Line area of Karachi Tuesday afternoon 14 June 2005..

Committee’s Incharge for Pakistan Anwar Alam, Wasim Aftab, and MPAs Aziz Bantwa, and Tayyab Hashmi lamented that while MQM’s sector incharge Imran Pasha, and another member Afzal and others were injured in firing, a party supporter Sarwar was killed in an incident which was naked terrorism.

The incident, according to a statement read out at the press conference, occurred between 5.00 p.m and 6.00 p.m on the street behind Dilpasand Mithai walla’s shop near Chuna Bhatti Baloch Park.

They said that Imran Pasha was fired at when he was going for prayers. He was hit on both the legs, while another party worker Ayaz suffered leg injuries. Another person, a party supporter Amjad suffered paralysis after being hit by a bullet in the neck Imran Pasha was taken to hospital where he was improving..

They disclosed that Arshad Hasan, joint incharge of the Karachi Organizing Committee, and member KOC Naeem Jilani reached Civil Hospital where they were told that the attacks on MQM workers were actually aimed at their lives. Eye witnesses had given statements to that effect.

The MQM said sector incharge of Sunnit Tehrik Nadim Mota, and Danish were involved in murderous attack.

Anwar Alam and colleagues reminded the media men that terrorists belonging to Sunni Tehrik had wounded MQM workers and supporters namely Mohammad Arif, Abdul Rehman , and Mohammad Sarwar near Boulton Market’s Memon Masjid. Sarwar, hit in the neck, succumbed to his wounds.

MQM identified the attackers as Shahid Chagha, Amir Dussol, Shahid Chandio, ST sector incharge Shujaat Qadri, Unit Incharge Sultan Rasheed Cheeta, Shahzad Waja, and Yusuf Kalia, and Shakeel Qadri, who is Sunnai Tehrik’s incharge for Saddar Town.

The statement said that Asif Dhaga has been arrested, and FIR for murderous attack on Imram Pasha has been registered against Dainsh, Asif Dhaga, Javed Kaka and others belonging to ST.

Another FIR against Shahid Chagha, Aamir Dussol, Shujaat Qadri, and Sultan is being registered on behalf of the wounded MQM workers Manzoor.

The party said that planned and calculated attempts are being made from extremist and criminal elements to destroy the peace of Karachi and destabilize the elected Sindh government

Yesterday’s incident took place in the wake of Madinatul Ilam incident and setting afire the KFC office in which six innocent persons were roasted alive. Sunni Tehrik which comprises terrorists and hardened criminals had been involved in disturbing the peace of Karachi, and the Ranchore Line incident formed part of the sinister campaign,

The motives behind such activities were to sabotage the coming local government elections, and spread venom between different sects. The party appealed to President Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Governor and the chief minister of Sindh to take firms steps to curb this tendency and appealed to the people to remain calm and avoid taking law in their hands. The party condoled with the family of Sarwar Shaheed and prayed for early recovery of those wounded.