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KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) announced that it would observe black day tomorrow (Thursday) against police torture and high-handedness on party workers protesting outside CM House.
Addressing a press conference outside Karachi Press Club, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that party would observe black day on Thursday across the province against police brutality.
He demanded immediate removal of Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mahar. He said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah must step down or else “the doors of the city would be shut for him.” He also urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and demanded immediate suspension of Sindh police chief.
Police baton-charged MQM-P workers and fired tear gas to disperse the protesting activists outside the CM House in Karachi. MQM workers, including women and children, were baton-charged by police officials and pushed in police vehicles to disperse the protestors outside the CM House.
A female worker’s condition was deteriorated due to heavy firing at the protestors of tear gas shells by police. It was learned that 10 MQM workers were detained by the policemen from the protest venue.
MQM’s Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sadaqat Hussain was also arrested in injured condition. A video of the lawmaker show him being physically dragged and place in a police van.
Worst state violence
Earlier MQM leader Wasim Akhtar said that the “worst form of state force” was used against the protesters. He added that several workers and leaders were injured in the baton charge.
Senior MQM-P leader Aminul Haq said that the party workers were protesting peacefully in front of the CM House. “We are politicians and we are always ready for talks,” he said, adding that the Sindh government used baton-charge and tear gas without warning.
He further added that protesting is their constitutional right, and the citizen of Sindh have been protesting against the local government law for the last many days. He said power was used ruthlessly on the workers and several workers have been arrested and have been shifted to various police stations.
MQM diverted route
Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Information Saeed Ghani slammed the MQM for protests against the local government law and defended the police action. Speaking to media channels, the minister said that MQM-P decided to change the location of the protest, as they had earlier announced the demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club but eventually started moving towards the CM House.
He added that the MQM-P should have been careful as several foreign players are staying in hotels near the CM House due to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which is scheduled to commence from tomorrow. Ghani further added that security is already on high alert and protestors were warned not to move towards the CM House; however, he said they defied all requests and the police had to take action.
Blaming the MQM-P, the minister said that if the party workers and leaders had protested outside the press club the situation would have been different. He further added that MQM-P, along with the PTI, wants to divert the public’s attention from the actual issues.