MQM UK STAGES HUNGER STRIKE AT 10-DOWNING STREET IN PROTEST TO STATE REPRESSIONS
LONDON. December 17, 2017: MQM UK observed token hunger strike at 10-Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister, on Dec 17, in protest to atrocities inflicted on Mohajir by the security and law enforcement forces in Karachi on the occasion of Martyrs Day. The security forces had used full force and restricted the mourning Mohajirs from attending the graves of their martyrs on Dec 9, 2017. The token hunger strike was to lodge protest against Pakistani authorities for use of blatant use of force, arbitrary arrests of innocent Mohajirs, manhandling of women and torture on them. It was organised by MQM Unit and the hunger strike was successful despite harsh weather, heavy showers and extreme freezing temperature and was attended by Mohajir men, women, elderly and children.
MQM’s Coordination Committee members Qasim Ali Raza, Syed Mustafa Azizabadi, Manzoor Ahmed, Dr Saleem Danish, MNA Sufyan Yousuf, MQM UK organiser Hashim Azam and members of MQM’s Central Organising Committee were also present.
Participants of the token hunger strike had held placards and portraits of MQM founder leader Mr. Altaf Hussain in their hands. The protesters had in the placards carried demands for stopping genocide of Mohajirs in Pakistan, release of unlawfully detained Mohajirs, recovery of kidnapped Mohajir youth and MQM workers, investigations on extrajudicial killings of Mohajir youth and MQM workers, for stopping human rights violations and provisioning of justice to Mohajirs. the protesters kept on chanting slogans “Wake-up, Wake-up”, “We want justice”, and “Stop killing Mohajirs.” they also kept on demanding for justice, end of state atrocities and acceptance of rights of Mohajirs. They continued to show their love and loyalty to MQM founder leader Mr. Hussain. Locals and tourists also stopped by them and enquired about their worries and demands.
The harsh weather, heavy showers and freezing temperature could not weaken the determination of the protesters as they did not care about these impediments and carried their scheduled token hunger strike on time and ended it peacefully. The participants had been filled with zeal and passion.
Talking on the occasion, MQM’s Coordination Committee members and MQM UK Orgnaisers said that Mohajirs have been subjected to inhuman state atrocities, repression and are facing genocide to the hands of security forces of Pakistan. They said that the level of atrocities on Mohajirs in lieu of responding to their just demands, the security forces have crossed all limits of law and have used force against Mohajirs. Even that Mohajirs have not been allowed to visit the graveyards to offer prayers to the departed souls of their martyrs. The security forces of Pakistan are not even allowing them to perform their religious rituals and hold sessions for the recitations from the holy Quran.
They demanded the British government and European Union to play their roles for stopping state repressions on Mohajirs in Pakistan.
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