KARACHI: In response to a protest call by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Director General (DG) Sindh Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar had asked people to carry on their daily activities without any scare.
Soon after MQM announced protest over siege of Farooq Sattar’s house, DG Rangers asked masses not to heed the strike call and freely carry on their businesses by opening the shops. He also warned against ‘forced shutdown’ of businesses. DG Rangers also assured that transporters would be provided complete security and strict action would be taken against the miscreants.
MQM had announced to observe a day of protest on Wednesday against siege of its deputy convener and senior parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar’s residence. MQM Rabitta Committee strongly condemned the siege of Dr Farooq Sattar’s house by Rangers in a statement issued late on Tuesday and appealed to the masses to shut their business and transport in order to record peaceful protest.
A large number of paramilitary troops surrounded the house of senior parliamentarian and leader of MQM Dr Farooq Sattar on Tuesday as part of an operation to arrest the party’s Sindh Assembly member Kamran Farooqui. Quoting unnamed sources in the Sindh Rangers, a private TV channel reported that the raid was part of an operation carried out after fulfilling all legal requirements. Rangers also said that a letter was written to the Sindh Assembly speaker, informing him that the MPA was wanted in an investigation. Around 30 paramilitary troops blockaded three streets around Farooq Sattar’s house located in the Peer Ilahi Bakhsh (PIB) Colony of the metropolis.
In response to Rangers’ statement denouncing MQM’s call for a ‘peaceful strike’, the party leaders said on Wednesday that protesting peacefully was their legal and constitutional right. “To hold peaceful protests is the constitutional, legal and human right of every political party,” said a statement issued by MQM Coordination Committee on Wednesday. “MQM exercised its democratic right by appealing for a peaceful strike against Rangers’ illegal and inhumane practices. The statement of DG Rangers against MQM’s appeal for a peaceful strike is condemnable,” the statement continued.
