MQM analysing and investigating the incident of 12th May very carefully and
very soon the nation will be briefed MQM Co-ordination Committee
Karachi, 17 May 2007
The MQM Co-ordination Committee in their joint session in Karachi and London exchanged views on the deplorable events of 12 May 2007. In their joint statement they pointed out that the enemies of MQM and hidden hands have conspired against the party because they are threatened by the popularity of the MQM amongst the poor and middle class people of Pakistan. The 12th May incident is the part and parcel of their conspiracy and they have started targeting MQM workers in all the four provinces of the country. The Co-ordination Committee stated that the MQM will face all the heinous conspiracies and adverse propaganda with dexterity. The Committee appealed to all its workers and Office bearers that they should prepare themselves psychologically and physically to face hard times. They further stated that if the MQM cannot protect the citizens while it is in government, then there is little point in staying in the government. The MQM workers have no particular desire for the ministerial pomp. We are analysing and investigating the incident of 12th May very carefully and very soon the nation will be briefed. The Co-ordination Committee pointed out that the MQM has confronted more adversities than any other political party in the country, because we do not compromise on principles. They also assured that MQM has all the respect for law and the legal community and we stand with them in their constitutional legal struggle. The MQM believes in the freedom and sanctity of judiciary. Finally, the Co-ordination Committee appealed to all the workers and supporters to stand united and be prepared to face adverse circumstances.
THE TRAGEDY OF 12TH MAY WAS PART OF A BIG CONSPIRACY TO CONFRONT THE LIBERAL, SECULAR AND DEMOCRATIC FORCES AGAINST EACH OTHER – ALTAF HUSSAIN
The MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has stated that we have no dispute or confrontation with the lawyers’ fraternity and we fully support the constitutional and legal struggle of the lawyers. He said this while speaking with the Sindh High Court Bar Association President Ibrarul Hassan Advocate over the phone from London today. Mr Hussain said that the MQM believes in independence of judiciary, its autonomy and supremacy and from the very first day it has been supporting the legitimate struggle of the lawyers’ and has been stating that the lawyers’ may carry on with their Movement for the independence of judiciary and we are not against it. However, our point of view was not to allow the political parties to be successful in using the lawyers’ movement and making the case of the Chief Justice Supreme Court disputable. Mr Hussain said that he personally respects the judges and me and my party in any circumstance will never disrespect the judges or the lawyers nor will we support any such act. Speaking on the sad incident of 12th May on the arrival of the Chief Justice Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry he said that he personally and on behalf of the MQM passionately appealed to the Sindh Government and the Administration of Sindh not to obstruct the arrival and address of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to the Sindh High Court Bar and other Bars. Mr Hussain said that tragedy of 12th May is part of a big conspiracy to confront the liberal, secular and democratic forces against each other, which is not in the interest of the country and the society. Mr Hussain asked to Mr Ibrarul Hassan Advocate to deliver his message to the lawyer’s fraternity that MQM has no conflict with the lawyers and we support their constitutional and legal struggle. Mr Ibrarul Hassan Advocate thanked Mr Altaf Hussain for lending his support to the movement of lawyer’s fraternity and assured Mr Hussain that the lawyer’s fraternity too has no conflict with any political party and the movement of the lawyer’s fraternity is for the independence of judiciary and its autonomy. He also agreed with Mr Hussain that the confrontation between the lawyers, civil society and the political parties is not in the interest of the country.
Details of terrorist attacks on the MQM
Day of mourning in Karachi
Hyderabad
Funeral of MQM martyrs
MQM Shikar pur zonal Office set on fire
Ambulances of KKF ransacked by the terrorists
Hyderabad
Funeral of MQM martyrs
MQM Shikar pur zonal Office set on fire
Ambulances of KKF ransacked by the terrorists
THE REAL FACE OF AITZAZ AHSAN
THE REAL FACE OF AITZAZ AHSAN
We are presenting the following letter published in the Daily Dawn of July 18, 2004 for the viewers to expose Aitzaz Ahsan and his real face to the entire world
The price of loyalty
WITH reference to Ms Anjum Niaz’s piece The price of loyalty (June 20), after topping the CSS examination held in 1970, Aitzaz Ahsan did not join the service. This he did to demonstrate his competence, capability and intelligence. His action of topping and not joining the elite service impressed Z.A. Bhutto who wanted young people to join his party.
When Chaudhry Anwar Samma, a PPP MPA from Gujrat, was murdered in March 1975, Aitzaz Ahsan was elected, ‘un-opposed’ to the Punjab Assembly and inducted in the provincial cabinet. He was given the portfolio of information, planning and development.
But the more interesting fact is that the ‘Chaudhry from Gujrat’ left the party at the most crucial time. When the PNA staged demonstrations against PPP government in 1977, on the allegation that elections had been rigged, Aitzaz was third to leave the party; the first being Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan, followed by Sardar Ahmad Ali, father of Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, a former foreign minister.
One can understand the betrayal by Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan and Sardar Ahmad Ali, as both had joined PPP from Muslim League. Changing loyalties by Muslim Leaguers, at the behest of the establishment, had started immediately after Partition and still persists. Formation of the Republican Party is a classic example. But Aitzaz was one, whom Z.A. Bhutto had brought from oblivion to limelight, from an upcoming advocate to a provincial minister, thus his action was absolutely unjustified. Maybe he had information that the establishment had written off Z.A. Bhutto from the politics of the country. So when he left the party, he practically supported the cause of the PNA.
He remained dissociated with the party, till Bhutto was hanged. Later when he wanted to join the party, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, chairperson of the PPP, refused to accept him, asking him to beg pardon from late Z.A. Bhutto, whom he had betrayed.
Afterwards he crept in the party through his professional services to the PPP and managed forgiveness via Benazir Bhutto. I have written these lines to put the record straight.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
We are presenting the following letter published in the Daily Dawn of July 18, 2004 for the viewers to expose Aitzaz Ahsan and his real face to the entire world
The price of loyalty
WITH reference to Ms Anjum Niaz’s piece The price of loyalty (June 20), after topping the CSS examination held in 1970, Aitzaz Ahsan did not join the service. This he did to demonstrate his competence, capability and intelligence. His action of topping and not joining the elite service impressed Z.A. Bhutto who wanted young people to join his party.
When Chaudhry Anwar Samma, a PPP MPA from Gujrat, was murdered in March 1975, Aitzaz Ahsan was elected, ‘un-opposed’ to the Punjab Assembly and inducted in the provincial cabinet. He was given the portfolio of information, planning and development.
But the more interesting fact is that the ‘Chaudhry from Gujrat’ left the party at the most crucial time. When the PNA staged demonstrations against PPP government in 1977, on the allegation that elections had been rigged, Aitzaz was third to leave the party; the first being Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan, followed by Sardar Ahmad Ali, father of Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, a former foreign minister.
One can understand the betrayal by Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan and Sardar Ahmad Ali, as both had joined PPP from Muslim League. Changing loyalties by Muslim Leaguers, at the behest of the establishment, had started immediately after Partition and still persists. Formation of the Republican Party is a classic example. But Aitzaz was one, whom Z.A. Bhutto had brought from oblivion to limelight, from an upcoming advocate to a provincial minister, thus his action was absolutely unjustified. Maybe he had information that the establishment had written off Z.A. Bhutto from the politics of the country. So when he left the party, he practically supported the cause of the PNA.
He remained dissociated with the party, till Bhutto was hanged. Later when he wanted to join the party, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, chairperson of the PPP, refused to accept him, asking him to beg pardon from late Z.A. Bhutto, whom he had betrayed.
Afterwards he crept in the party through his professional services to the PPP and managed forgiveness via Benazir Bhutto. I have written these lines to put the record straight.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
Pakistan's president urges calm
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has appealed for calm after 34 people died in the country's worst political violence in years.
Supporters of President Pervez Musharraf fought street battles with those of top judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended by the president.
Mr Chaudhry abandoned plans to address a rally in the city.
Opposition groups blamed the pro-Musharraf MQM party of organising the unrest, but it denied the claim.
Speaking at a mass rally in Islamabad on Saturday night, Mr Musharraf ruled out declaring a state of emergency and appealed to the country to stand united.
He blamed "elements who tried to create turmoil by politicising" Chief Justice Chaudhry's suspension.
Speaking behind bullet-proof glass, he said a judicial panel was examining the case.
He also criticised Mr Chaudhry, saying the top judge had ignored warnings against travelling to Karachi.
Mr Chaudhry flew from Islamabad to Karachi on Saturday morning, planning to address a rally in the city.
But after landing, he was unable to leave the airport, because roads into the city were blocked.
After several hours, Mr Chaudhry abandoned his plans and returned to Islamabad.
The president also appealed to the demonstrators, saying: "If you really feel sorry over what has happened in Karachi, then stop these protests."
Cause celebre
Since his suspension on charges of "misuse of authority", Mr Chaudhry has become the focus of widespread opposition to the government of Mr Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says opposition parties have turned Mr Chaudhry's case into a campaign against military rule.
His supporters say that Mr Musharraf wants the judiciary headed by a lawyer whom he can more easily manipulate.
Our correspondent says tension had been building ahead of the judge's visit when the local authorities announced plans for a counter rally.
But she says the scale of the confrontation took people by surprise.
In the worst violence, MQM supporters and activists from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto fought gun battles for an hour.
The private Aaj TV channel showed pictures of its office under fire. "We are under attack," said journalist Talat Hussain on air, sheltering behind a wall.
"It is state-sponsored terrorism. The Sindh [province] government is responsible but we are not going to back off," said Sherry Rehman of the PPP.
An MQM spokesman denied his party was involved in the violence at the TV station.
A lawyers' spokesman told the BBC that bar association members in Karachi had also been attacked by MQM activists in various parts of the city.
The lawyers say that activists attacked them and prevented them from entering the Sindh High Court premises where Mr Chaudhry had been due to speak.
Supporters of President Pervez Musharraf fought street battles with those of top judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended by the president.
Mr Chaudhry abandoned plans to address a rally in the city.
Opposition groups blamed the pro-Musharraf MQM party of organising the unrest, but it denied the claim.
Speaking at a mass rally in Islamabad on Saturday night, Mr Musharraf ruled out declaring a state of emergency and appealed to the country to stand united.
He blamed "elements who tried to create turmoil by politicising" Chief Justice Chaudhry's suspension.
Speaking behind bullet-proof glass, he said a judicial panel was examining the case.
He also criticised Mr Chaudhry, saying the top judge had ignored warnings against travelling to Karachi.
Mr Chaudhry flew from Islamabad to Karachi on Saturday morning, planning to address a rally in the city.
But after landing, he was unable to leave the airport, because roads into the city were blocked.
After several hours, Mr Chaudhry abandoned his plans and returned to Islamabad.
The president also appealed to the demonstrators, saying: "If you really feel sorry over what has happened in Karachi, then stop these protests."
Cause celebre
Since his suspension on charges of "misuse of authority", Mr Chaudhry has become the focus of widespread opposition to the government of Mr Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says opposition parties have turned Mr Chaudhry's case into a campaign against military rule.
His supporters say that Mr Musharraf wants the judiciary headed by a lawyer whom he can more easily manipulate.
Our correspondent says tension had been building ahead of the judge's visit when the local authorities announced plans for a counter rally.
But she says the scale of the confrontation took people by surprise.
In the worst violence, MQM supporters and activists from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto fought gun battles for an hour.
The private Aaj TV channel showed pictures of its office under fire. "We are under attack," said journalist Talat Hussain on air, sheltering behind a wall.
"It is state-sponsored terrorism. The Sindh [province] government is responsible but we are not going to back off," said Sherry Rehman of the PPP.
An MQM spokesman denied his party was involved in the violence at the TV station.
A lawyers' spokesman told the BBC that bar association members in Karachi had also been attacked by MQM activists in various parts of the city.
The lawyers say that activists attacked them and prevented them from entering the Sindh High Court premises where Mr Chaudhry had been due to speak.
Bloodbath in Karachi
The city witnessed a bloodbath on Saturday as at least 35 people were killed and scores more were injured in armed clashes between pro-Musharraf and Opposition activists in different areas of the city.The whole city in general and major roads in particular turned into battlefield as Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who is facing a presidential reference against him, arrived in the city to participate in the Supreme Court’s Jubilee Celebrations. Although the city had been tense for two days after some unidentified assailants had attacked the house of CJ’s lawyer Munir A Malik, the situation started turning extremely violent when a local PML-N leader was shot dead in Model Colony in the wee hours of Saturday.
The activists of MQM and opposition parties, including the PML-N, PPP, MMA and ANP, had started gathering on main points across the city and initially minor clashes were reported. But as soon as the Chief Justice’s plane landed in the city at 12 p.m., the activists turned violent attacking each other with gunfire.
Angry mobs also torched a police post despite the presence of 15,000 paramilitary troops and police on the streets.
One of the fiercest clashes took place at Golden Town when an opposition parties’ rally confronted an MQM rally with weapons, resulting the killing of as many as 13 people. The second major incident occurred at Malir Halt, also near the airport, when Awami National Party’s rally came face to face with their rivals. At least 10 people were killed on the scene while several others were injured.
The news of Golden Town and Malir Halt clashes spread all over the city like jungle-fire and the activists of Opposition parities attacked a small MQM rally at Star Gate (Old Airport) where three MQM activists were killed on the scene.
The dead bodies and injured people were lying on the streets for long time as heavy firing suspended ambulances service. A driver of Edhi Ambulance Service was also shot dead near Malir Halt when he was rushing an injured to a hospital.
The clashes erupted in adjacent areas of the airport as activists of both the parties were engaged in exchange of gunfire for several hours using semi-automatic and automatic weapons as well as hand grenades.
According to eyewitnesses, indiscriminate firing incidents were reported at Shahrah-e-Faisal, Banaras, Patal Para, Guru Mandir, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, FTC, Star Gate, Sohrab Goth and Golden Town. The incidents were reported between 12pm to 5pm.
The area from Qaidabad to Drug Road Bridge became another major battlefield where more than 25 casualties took place and hundreds sustained injuries.
Guru Mandir area was the worst-affected in terms of gunbattles where fight continued for around four hours and activists fought each other in three dimensions. The MQM activists were reportedly in the middle while Pashtoon activists fired at them from Business Recorder Road and Jehangir Road although some people from Jamshaid road also fired bullets.
A central committee member of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Muhammad Nawaz Kanrani, was also killed and more than a dozen women workers were injured by unknown assailants while they were on their way to airport to welcome the Chief Justice in the area of Bahadur Village near Malir.
Surprisingly, police and Rangers who were deployed on sensitive spots, were not seen when the gunfights were at their peak.
Dozens of buses, cars, motorcycles and other vehicles were also set on fire by angry mobs.
AFP adds: Private Aaj television showed pictures of gunmen shooting at its office in Karachi and of its correspondents diving for cover with mobile phones clamped to their ears.
“Armed men have been continuously attacking our offices for a couple of hours and the authorities have completely failed to maintain law and order,” said the station’s current affairs director Talat Hussain.
Karachi under siege as violence claims 27 lives
Gunbattles ahead of rival political rallies left 27 people dead in Karachi on Saturday in the worst violence since President Pervez Musharraf suspended the chief justice two months ago.
President Musharraf ruled out declaring a state of emergency despite the bloodshed in Karachi, state media reported, where Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad was due to address supporters.
Black smoke billowed over the volatile commercial hub, witnesses said, as mobs armed with assault rifles and shotguns opened fire on Aaj Television studio and torched four buses and dozens of other vehicles.
"There are 27 people dead in the violence. The number could go up. The
majority of those killed are workers of opposition parties, mainly the Pakistan
People's Party," the official said on condition of anonymity.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said President Musharraf's government and its allies had apparently "deliberately sought to foment violence in Karachi", adding that police stood by as "silent spectators".
Security officials said 15 of the victims, who include a policeman and a paramedic, died during clashes between opposition parties supporting the chief justice and pro-Musharraf activists in several parts of the city.
An AFP photographer at the scene of the biggest clash said workers from the pro-Musharraf Muttahida Qaumi Movement exchanged gunfire for an hour with activists from exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party.
Earlier, gunmen on motorbikes shot dead two activists from the party of former premier Nawaz Sharif as they put up posters welcoming Justice Chaudhry. Separately, a member of an opposition party was fatally shot.
Aaj television, which has come under pressure from the government for its allegedly pro-chief justice stance, showed footage of gunmen firing at its office in Karachi and of its correspondents diving for cover.
Justice Chaudhry remained stranded at Karachi airport after flying in on Saturday morning, because government supporters had used trucks with deflated tyres to shut down all main roads, including those leading to the airport.
Governor Ibad said that Justice Chaudhry's team of lawyers had now been ordered to leave Karachi and urged that he too should "consider the grim situation of the city and take a decision."
Paramilitary troops at the airport tried to force him into a helicopter and fly him to the high court "but we did not let the security people take him forcibly," said Munir Malik, one of his lawyers.
Gunmen fired at Malik's house earlier in the week.
The MQM, held a large counter-demonstration in Karachi to rival Justice Chaudhry's.
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