Missing MQM men:probe committee stops work after Senator Aftab Sheikh receives threatening calls

KARACHI: Head of Senate Inspection Committee, Senator Aftab Ahmad Sheikh, deputed to examineregisters and lock ups to trace the 28 MQM missing workers, terminated the proceedings after he receivedthreatening calls and attempt was made to kidnap missing persons' relatives.

Talking to The Newsmen on Saturday Sheikh disclosed that while inquiry was being initiated against policeofficials, the IG and Sindh Home Secretary were unable to provide security at Qasr-e-Naz Karachi to thecommittee.

Sheikh said the proceedings of the inquiry were terminated as a mark of protest after threatening calls werereceived and reports were received that attempts were made to kidnap relatives of missing persons. "Howcan one continue, in such circumstances, the examining of records which were going against the police personnel?" Sheikh said and added that he would submit report to the main committee of the Senate inIslamabad in a couple of days.

He would also submit report of his findings to the Prime Minister and the Secretary Senate. Senator Aftabwhile examining 'Register 13' at Qasr-e-Naz on Friday was assisted by Deputy Secretaries of the Senate,Shahid Iqbal, Karamat Niazi and Sher Muhammad Baloch.

Aftab said he would inform the PM that senior officials in police were attempting to save certain policeofficials responsible for killing the missing persons. He said he would also suggest that the same third degreemethod be adopted with these police officials for confession which they usually adopt for obtainingconfessions from the arrested people. "This is the only way out," he stressed. Aftab said: "The personsresponsible for the crime are in front of me but I do not have the tool or power to make them confess their crime."