REPORTS OF ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES UPON MQM LEADERS, WORKERS, SUPPORTERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS
INNOCENT PEOPLE OF KARACHI UNDER SIEGE
On 6 November 2000, a bomb blast occurred at the offices of Nawa-i-Waqt (Urdu Daily newspaper) in Karachi. The police and the other law enforcement agencies have not yet reached the conclusion as to who was responsible for the blast. There are varying reports as to how this blast was carried out, some of the police official claim that it was a “suicidal attempt”, others do not agree. However, without reaching to any conclusion, the Karachi Police have started mass arrests of innocent people, falsely implicating mainly Mohajirs to extort money in bribes for their release.
It has been a normal practice of the Punjabi Police in Karachi to arrest innocent people on false and fabricated charges and extort money for their release. Hundreds of Mohajirs have been forced to pay millions of rupees in bribes to these corrupt policemen to avoid false arrest and torture. It is estimated that in the last three days since the blast occurred, the Punjabi Police of Karachi has extorted millions of rupees from innocent Karachiites.
INDISCRIMINATE RAIDS ON THE HOUSES OF MQM LEADERS AND WORKERS SINCE 6 NOVEMBER
Since the bomb blast in Karachi on 6 November 2000, the Karachi Police has been raiding the houses of hundreds of MQM leaders, workers and supporters and arresting them indiscriminately. The extent of discriminatory policies against the MQM can be gauged by the fact that Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, who has been living in exile in London since 1994, and working in the MQM International Secretariat as a Joint In-charge and a Member of MQM Central Coordination Committee, his house was raided again on the night of 6 November 2000. Similarly, the house of Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has also been living in exile in London since 1995 and is a personal assistant of Mr Altaf Hussain, Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), was also raided. Furthermore, dozens of raids were made on the houses of Mohammad Raza Haroon and Sarfaraz Ahmed during absence from Karachi.
14 November 2000
11 November 2000
SALEEM BANDHANI, MEMBER OF PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH AND ZAFAR KHAN, JOINT INCHARGE MQM SUKKUR ZONE UNLAWFULLY ARRESTED, BEING TORTURED, HARASSED AND HUMILIATED
MASS ARREST OF INNOCENT MQM WORKERS IN SUKKUR
London – 11 November 2000
After carrying out mass arrest of innocent citizens of Karachi and keeping the peaceful city under siege, the personnel of law enforcement agencies in total violation to the basic fundamental rights, the police and other law enforcement agencies unlawfully raiding the residence of innocent and peaceful MQM leaders, elected representatives, workers and supporters of Sukkur. During these raids, the family members are being humiliated, harassed and illegally arrested.
On 10 November 2000, at around 3 p.m., the personnel of four Police Stations in Sukkur raided the residence of Mr Saleem Bandhani, Member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh (suspended), belonging to the MQM, and the former Zonal Incharge of MQM Sukkur Zone. The raiding party, led by Sub District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police forcefully entered into the house, ransacked the furniture and misbehaved with the family members. Moreover, in total disregard to the fact that Mr Saleem Bandhani is a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, he was unlawfully arrested and taken to the Police Station while being naked from waist above. Throughout the raid, the raiding party continued to interrogate the family members to divulge the whereabouts of those involved in the recent bomb blast in Karachi. Prior to raiding the residence of Mr Saleem Bandhani, the personnel of law enforcement agencies raided the residence of his brother Mr Khalir Ur Rehman and arrested him along with his two friends Mahboob and Rizwan. They are still being detained at the local police station.
Similarly, on 11 November 2000, Mr Zafar Khan 29, son of Mohammad Asif Khan, Joint Incharge of MQM Sukkur Zone was arrested today by the personnel of Sukkur Police Station. It is reported that he was returning from the High Court Sukkur Bench in Sukkur, interior Sindh, after attending the court hearing. Another MQM worker Shahid who was accompanying Mr Zafar has also been arrested by the Police. They were immediately subjected to brutal torture and have been taken to unknown destination. It is strongly apprehended that their lives are in danger.
In the last two days (i.e. 10 and 11 November 2000), numerous unlawful raids and hundreds of illegal arrests of MQM workers and supporters have been made in the city of Sukkur, interior Sindh. All the detainees are being kept in the police lockups in inhuman condition. They are being tortured brutally and forced to accept the responsibility of the recent bomb blast in Karachi.
It has been a normal practice of the Punjabi Police in Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh to arrest innocent people on false and fabricated charges and extort money for their release. Hundreds of Mohajirs have been forced to pay millions of rupees in bribes to these corrupt policemen to avoid false arrest and torture. It is estimated that in the last four days since the blast occurred, the Punjabi Police of Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh has extorted millions of rupees from innocent citizens.
We request you to ask the Pakistan Authorities to stop unlawfully raiding and illegally arresting innocent people of Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh. We also request you to use your influence to stop the extortion of money from these helpless people under duress by the Police and other personnel of law enforcement agencies. Moreover, please take notice of the violations of basic and fundamental rights of the citizens of Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh, southern Pakistan under the present military government.
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is the third largest political party of Pakistan and the second largest in the province of Sindh. Since 19 June 1992, an army operation has been launched to crush the MQM and physically eliminate the Mohajirs. More than 15000 MQM leaders, workers and supporters have been extrajudicially murdered, while thousands are languishing in jails on false and fabricated charges.
7 November 2000
At around 8.00 a.m., the personnel of Shara-e-Faisal Police Station raided the house of Mohammad Asharaf. In his absence they ransacked the house and misbeaved with his family members. Mohammad Asharaf is an Ex-Councillor of Cantonment board, Karachi and In-charge of MQM Unit 108-A, Shah Faisal Sector, Karachi.
28 October 2000
At around 2.30 a.m., the personnel of Aram Bagh Police Station and Nabi Buksh Police Station raided the temporary residence of Mohammad Khalid and arrested him. Mohammad Khalid son of Mohammad Ismail is a Joint in-charge of MQM Unit 35, Burns Road Sector, Karachi.
25 October 2000
According to the eye witness accounts, armed terrorists under the protection of the personnel of the Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies shot dead Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) office bearer Mohammad Ahmed at around 1.15 a.m. during the night and early hours of 24th and 25th. October 2000. Mohammad Ahmed was a Member of the Sector Committee of the Ranchoor Line area of Karachi.
The armed terrorists under the protection of the intelligence and law enforcement agencies called Mohammad Ahmed while he was climbing the staircase of his house to enter inside his residence. The armed terrorists under the protection of the law enforcers took Mohammad Ahmed to the adjacent street and shot him dead on the spot.
The details of the deceased are as follows:
Mohammad Ahmed, 30 years old, married with two children, son of Mohammad Yameen and a resident of Rabia Mansions, Kala Jadoo Street, Choona Bhatti, Ranchoor Line, Bhoora Pir, Karachi.
This is the third cold-blooded murder since the Public Meeting of the MQM at the Acton Town Hall in London on 17th. September 2000.
25 September 2000
On 24 September 2000, between 7 p.m., and 7.30 p.m., Ameen Uddin, an MQM worker, was visiting his uncle’s house in Block-2, Reta Plot, Shah Faisal Colony in Karachi. He was kidnapped by Haqiqi Terrorists Waseem alias Commando and Fahim from the front door of his uncle’s house.
When this information reached Nine Zero, the MQM Head office, the Deputy Conveners of MQM Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh and Senator Nasreen Jalil immediately reported this incident to the Administration. They expressed their apprehensions that it is feared that the Haqiqi terrorists may torture and even murder Ameen Uddin. However, no immediate action was taken.
Around 10.30 p.m., the Administration informed the MQM Head office that Ameen Uddin has been murdered and his body has been found lying near the railway line. Marks of brutal torture were visible on the body of Ameen Uddin. He was shot four times in the chest from point blank range.
Ameen Uddin, age 28 years, son of Nazeer Uddin, was a resident of House No. 340 B, Hasrat Mohani Colony, Pak Colony, Karachi. He was a worker of MQM Unit 186, Sector Pak Colony.
It should be recalled that only three days ago on 21 September 2000, a young MQM worker and a hockey player Mohammad Nadeem Yaqub was ruthlessly murdered by armed assailants in Federal B Area, Karachi.
21 September 2000
Today, between 4 pm and 4.30 pm (Pakistan Time), during a hockey match, two armed assailants climbed the walls of the UBL Sports Complex in Block 16, Federal B Area, Karachi; and ruthlessly murdered Mohammad Nadeem Yaqub, a worker of MQM Unit 66-b, Sector Gulshan-e-Iqbal. According to first information received at the MQM International Secretariat in London, these armed assailants came with the intention of targeting Mohammad Nadeem Yaqub. They grabbed him and fired several gunshots from very close range. Mohammad Nadeem Yaqub was shot five times in the face and skull. He was immediately taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in a very critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries and died.
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is the third largest political party of Pakistan and the second largest in the province of Sindh. Since the commencement of the Army Operation to crush the MQM on 19 June 1992, more than 15000 of its workers and supporters have been ruthlessly and mercilessly extrajudicially murdered at the hands of intelligence agency and their armed terrorists in the urban centers of Sindh, particularly Karachi and Hyderabad.
Mohammad Nadeem Yaqub, age: 28 years, unmarried and a resident of Raza Square, Rashid Minhas Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. He was a very active worker of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and a very good hockey player and represented the District East Hockey Team of Karachi. At the time of incident, he was participating as a player in a hockey match between District East and District South teams at the UBL Sports Complex.
18 September 2000
At around 1.00 p.m., The personnel of Sharifabad Police Station and other Plain clothed personnel raided the shop of Mohammad Hanif at Soldier Bazaar, Karachi and arrested him.
Mohammad Hanif 30, son of Wali Mohammad is an In-charge of MQM Unit 156, Sector Liaquatabad. He is being detained at Sharifabad Police Station. He is being subjected to torture.
24 August 2000
The personnel of Malir City Police Station arrested Abdul Sattar from PCO (Public call office) Malir. Abdul Sattar 25, son of Abdul Rahim is a worker of MQM Unit 106, Shah Faisal Sector, Karachi. He is being detained at Malir City Police Station.