Ruling party minister patronising killers: Muttahida

Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Saturday said the criminals, killing innocent citizens in the city with impunity, are being patronised by a ruling party minister. MQM leader Raza Haroon stated this at a press conference held at MQM headquarters Nine Zero. He said peace in the city will remain a distant dream if these elements are not brought to book.
Members of the Co-ordination Committee, Nasrin Jalil, Kunwar Khalid Yunus, Wasay Jalil, Gulfaraz Khattak and Aamir Khan accompanied Raza Haroon. Raza said the impunity with which terrorists barged into the houses of MQM activists in Malir and Khokhrapar and killed them, reminded us of the painful attacks in 1992.
"We take exception to the provocative statement of a ruling party minister, who had publicly admitted having met the MQM-H leader Afaq Ahmed and declared him a true leader of the Mohajirs. He also announced his full support for him. We had expressed our apprehensions that a terror attack could be on the cards against the MQM similar to the one on June 19, 1992." Raza said the free movement of terrorists on the streets of Landhi and Malir has corroborated our claims that all the violent activities were carried out under a well-conceived plan.
Haroon said the MQM is a democratic political party that respects the mandate and political ideologies of all religious and political parties. "The MQM believes that all parties should have complete freedom to propagate their political ideologies to the people." However, MQM was resolutely against attempts to facilitate criminal elements in snatching an area on Friday. MQM stands in the way of all such elements, he said, adding that such tactics won't work.
Raza said the MQM wanted to foster peace in Sindh particularly in Karachi and for this purpose it has extended olive branch to all parties including Pakistan People's Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N), JUI (F) and others.
He said MQM withdrew the resignation of Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad only for the sake of peace. He made an impassioned appeal to the leaders and workers of all the parties to rise above political differences and work for bringing peace in the city and accept each other's existence.
"We appeal to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Provincial Home Minister Manzoor Wassan to ensure that the bloodshed of the innocent citizens and MQM workers and sympathisers be stopped in order to restore durable peace and stability in Karachi. "The criminal elements responsible for attacks in Malir and Khokhrapar, who made the area a battlefield, should be arrested at all costs," he added.