BOMB BLAST AT IMAM BARGAH ALI RAZA IS AN ACT OF NAKED TERRORISM – ALTAF HUSSAIN
KILLING AND INJURING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IS NOT ONLY A SHAMEFUL ACT BUT AN EVIL ACT
PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF, PRIME MINISTER JAMALI AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT TO TAKE UNDEMOCRATIC STEPS BUT TO TAKE SERIOUS AND FIRM ACTION AGAINST THE CULPRITS WHO COMMITTED SUCH BARBARIC ACTS OF TERRORISM AND BRING THEM TO TASK

London – 31 May 2004
The Founder & Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has strongly condemned the act of terrorism at Imam Bargah Ali Raza in Karachi, Pakistan, where the people were offering Maghrib Prayers. Mr Hussain reiterated that for the past one month the persistent act of bomb blasts, terrorism and killing of innocent civilians and law enforcement personnel is a well designed and well engineered conspiracy not only to disturb the peace of Karachi but to portray Karachi as a battleground with a view to creating a reason to either deploy army in the city, imposition of Governor Rule, suspend the Sindh Government or impose emergency. By creating such grounds, the hidden hands in collusion with the religious extremists and jihadi outfits, want to show the people of Pakistan, international community, foreign and local investors that the present Government of Sindh has failed to control terrorist activities and law and order in Karachi and therefore the federal government had no choice but to take undemocratic steps to either deploy army in the city, imposition of Governor Rule, suspend the Sindh Government or impose emergency to give Karachi in the hands of the Army. Mr Hussain said that the true facts are entirely different whereby the Government of Sindh, particularly the Governor Sindh have tried their level best by working day and night to control the law and order situation and bring peace to Karachi. He said that the people of Karachi have witnessed that the present Government has brought unimaginable peace to Karachi where they feel no fear to travel from one place to another, even during late at night. The people of Karachi are also aware that for the past one month, the hidden hands with the connivance of religious extremists and jihad outfits through a well-designed conspiracy are destroying the peaceful atmosphere of Karachi. The people of Karachi and the people of Pakistan at large also know who attempted to assassinate President General Pervez Musharraf. These evil forces under the umbrella of a few powerful hidden hands have now made Karachi as playground for their terrorist activities. Mr Hussain further stated that while addressing an auspicious gathering organized by Graduate Forum, of intellectuals, senior writers, journalists and experts in different walks of life on 28 May 2004 in Hyderabad, he exposed the ulterior motives and purpose of deliberately disturbing the law and order situation and peace in Karachi.

Mr Hussain said, “I request the people of Karachi to understand this conspiracy, remain peaceful and not to retaliate towards these acts of barbaric terrorism.”  He further said, “I myself and each and every member of the MQM are saddened and share the sorrow and grief of the aggrieved families. We pray to Allah Almighty to rest the soul of martyrs of the recent incident in peace and give strength and solace to the family members to bear the irreparable loss of their loved ones.”

Mr Hussain demanded the President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali and the Federal Government not to take undemocratic steps for Karachi but to take serious and firm action against the culprits who committed such barbaric acts of terrorism and bring them to task.