REQUEST TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE ELECTION MONITORING TEAMS FOR THE ABOLISHMENT OF “NO GO AREAS” IN KARACHI

Karachi – 6 October 2002
We have raised our concerns to the relevant authorities of Pakistan to take an immediate action to abolish the No Go Areas in Karachi but to no avail.   No Go Areas are the localities of Karachi that are forcibly occupied by the State sponsored terrorists known as Haqiqi for the past 10 years.   They are armed with lethal weapons.  As a result, thousands of MQM workers and supporters had to abandoned these areas.  These No Go Areas are Lines Area, Landhi, parts of Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Liaquatabad and New Karachi. The general elections in Pakistan are only few days away but the State Authorities have failed to abolish the No Go Areas in Karachi. As a result, until to-date the MQM could not start its election campaign in those areas. The residents of those areas are being threatened by the State sponsored terrorists that if they vote for the MQM they would face dire consequences.   The government’s claim that the elections would be fair, free and transparent lacks credence and continuous existence of No Go Areas in Karachi manifest that the MQM is effectively prevented to participate in forthcoming elections.

We, therefore, request the international community and particularly the election monitoring teams to take up the issue of No Go Areas as a matter of urgency to ensure that the elections are held in a free, fair and transparent manner.