This Press Conference has been called to inform the people of Pakistan about the situation in Karachi and factors behind unabated terrorism. We are thankful for your arrival.
Respected Journalists
You are well aware that Pakistan has been in the grip of terrorism for the past many years. Thousands of citizens, political leaders and workers, religious scholars, officers and personnel of police and other security forces have become the victim of terrorism. Incidents of terrorism have become commonplace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan while the law and order situation in Punjab is also worsening. However, the situation in Sindh, particularly Karachi, is going from bad to worse. Incidents occurring in Karachi are not hidden from anyone.
Shia and Sunni scholars, doctors, teachers and other important personalities are being gunned down in the unending wave of sectarian targeted killings. A few days back, prominent social worker and director of the Orangi Pilot Project Perveen Rehman, who had been serving Karachi for many years, was killed by terrorists in a brutal manner. Noted writer and principle of a college Prof Sibt-e-Jafar a doctor of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital were also killed two days ago. Earlier more than fifty innocent people were killed in a massive bomb blast in Abbas Town. Several flat buildings were also damaged by the blast. Terrorists had also been attacking police stations and mobiles and targeting police personnel.
Terrorists have also started targeting the MQM workers for the past few days. A bomb blast occurred on 1st January after a public meeting of the MQM in Jinnah Ground in which several workers and sympathizers were killed and injured. MPA Manzar Imam of the MQM was gunned down on 17th January. A bomb blast in Khurramabad area of Landi resulted in the death of two MQM workers and injuring of several other people. Three MQM workers were killed in Hyderabad on 17th March when terrorists attacked a sector office in SITE area of Hyderabad. In another serious incident of terrorism, Farhan Khalil, who was a deputy general manager in KESC and an office-bearer of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Sector of the MQM, was killed in a deadly blast.
Respected Journalists
We believe that all this is happening in Karachi under a conspiracy. On the one hand, the fire of sectarian violence is being fuelled in order to divide the people of Karachi on sectarian lines and destroying their unity. This is evident from the fact that sectarian targeted killings are occurring in Karachi alone. On the other hand, the MQM workers are being targeted and killed in an organized manner. Several MQM workers and sympathizers have been killed in order to circumscribe the political activities of the MQM.
Respected Journalists
Elements that hold a grudge against the MQM without any reason always accuse the MQM for terrorism in order to smear its image. We ask them to see as to how the MQM is being subjected to terrorism. We ask as why the political and religious parties, who always raise a hue and cry, organize public meetings, hold long marches, and carry out sit-ins on almost anything are silent on the blatant terrorism in Karachi.
Respected Journalists
While MQM workers continue to fall victim of the unending terrorism, there has been a surge in the heinous criminal activities and barbarism of the notorious terrorism of the Lyari gang war. These hardened criminals are sending slips for extortion to traders, industrialists, shopkeepers, transporters, doctors, lawyers, and other well-to-do people and those who refuse to pay the extortion money are attacked. Their audacity can be judged from the fact that they even kidnapped police and rangers personnel a few days ago and killed them.
Respected Journalists
It seems that there is no institution in Karachi for establishing peace and order and protecting lives of citizens. We ask how it is possible for incidents of terrorism to occur in Karachi in the present of thousands of personnel of police, rangers and other law-enforcing agencies. How long will we continue to bury our workers and sympathizers? How long will people be forced to bear this situation? When will the law move against terrorists?
Respected Journalists
We appeal to President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, and Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftakhar Chaudhry to take notice of the unending terrorism and killings of innocent people in Karachi, including MQM workers, sympathizers and religious scholars. We appeal to them to arrest the killers and take urgent steps for protecting the life and property of the people.
We also want to make it clear that we love peace and believe in a peaceful struggle. We will continue our peaceful struggle in spite of all the terrorism.