PRESS CONFERENCE
KARACHI: 14TH APRIL 2011:
Respected Journalists
We thank you all for coming to attend this emergency press conference. The purpose of this press conference is to inform you and through your medium to the people across the country about the merciless and cruel killings of the MQM workers and about the restlessness and concern in the minds of the MQM workers and the people of Karachi about the unremitting acts of terrorism against the MQM.
Respected Journalists
It is in your knowledge that two days ago on Tuesday the 12th April armed terrorists killed the workers of Mahmoodabad Sector Asif Ali, Muneer Ahmed and Muhmmad Naeem by firing. No serious efforts were made by the government to arrest the killers after such a serious act of terrorism. On the evening of Wednesday the 13th April terrorists belonging to the land and drug mafia killed the workers of MQM Unit 125 Qasba Aligarh Sector 33 years old Muhammad Habib s/o Muhammad Rafi, 23 years old Muhammad Waqas s/o Muhammad Tariq and 38 years old Muhammad Zaheer s/o Muhammad Hanif at Al-Muhajir Chowk Orangi Town by firing with sophisticated weapons while another worker Irfan Qureshi was seriously injured by the firing of the terrorists and is fighting for his life at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. We immediately contacted the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and other authorities. We registered our protest at the incidents of killing of our workers and demanded action against the terrorists. We were assured of prompt action in order to stop such occurrences and for arresting the killers. We were busy in consoling our workers and making efforts to save the life of the injured workers when only a few hours after this incident armed terrorists attacked the MQM workers in Mairaj-un-Nabi Colony in Orangi No 10 resulting in the death of Sarfaraz Ali s/o Abid Ali and Raza s/o Muhammad Iqbal were standing outside their homes .In another incident yesterday armed terrorists seriously injured Shahbaz Qureshi, a senior worker of MQM Maymar Sector in Scheme 33 area. Shahbaz Qureshi breathed his last on Wednesday evening after fighting a battle for his life in the hospital. In this manner nine MQM workers and sympathizers have fell victim to incidents of firing in the last 48 hours which is a big tragedy. We want to inform you that the innocent workers of the MQM are being targeted of terrorist strikes and 81 MQM workers and sympathizers have been killed since January 2011 in terrorism related incidents. We are grieved to say that despite the killing of our workers in quick succession the federal and the provincial governments have done nothing and no serious steps are being taken to arrest the killers.
Respected Journalists
We feel that the new wave of killing of the MQM workers and sympathizers by the criminal elements, terrorists of the gang war, land mafia and drug mafia is a continuation of the vile conspiracy to entangle the MQM in Karachi and to stop it from spreading throughout the country.
Respected Journalists
You are aware that the philosophy of the Muttahida Quami Movement based on truth and honesty is spreading in the country rapidly, people belonging to all the nationalities, religious schools of thoughts and religion are joining the MQM, and the popularity of the MQM is increasing swiftly. MQM had organized Conventions in three cities of the Punjab on 25th April 2011 in order to strengthen the idea of one nation, elimination of the decaying feudal system and for a revolution of the poor and middle class. A grand public meeting of the Sindhi speaking workers was held in Bhit Shah on 25th December 2010. A “National Solidarity Public Meeting” was held in Karachi on 30th January 2011 in which people belonging to all the nationalities living in Karachi participated. “Stabilizing Pakistan” public meeting was held in Lahore on 10th April 2011 which is being hailed throughout the country but the conspirators are not happy at the success of the MQM. Consequently a conspiracy has been made to impede the progress of the MQM and to confine it to Karachi. One the one hand baseless allegations are being hurled at the MQM in order to disillusion the people of the Punjab from the MQM just as was done during the military operation of 19th June 1992 and on the other hand a bloodshed of the MQM workers is being done. Attempts are being made to cast Karachi in the fire of bloodbath and violence by stoking terrorism and encouraging terrorists and criminals of gang war, land mafia, drug mafia that are sharply against the MQM. All this is being done to stop the MQM from spreading across the length and breadth of the country and from getting organized by keeping it bogged down in Karachi. The relentless killing of innocent workers of the MQM is a sequel of the same conspiracy. We want to make it clear that terrorism, bloodshed and mayhem cannot impede the progress of the MQM and neither can the courage and resolve of the MQM workers be shaken by such incidents.
Respected Journalists
It is very much before you that nine MQM workers and sympathizers have been martyred mercilessly but we have shown extreme patience and our appeal to our workers to bear with fortitude and courage is proof enough that the MQM is a peace-loving political party that believes in peace and peaceful struggle instead of wanton violence.
Respected Journalists
We appeal to President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to take serious notice of the barbaric killing of the workers and sympathizers of the MQM in various parts of Karachi. Firm steps should be taken to safeguard the life and property of the citizens and the protectors and patrons of merciless killers should be arrested and given exemplary punishment.
We appeal to the workers of the MQM to control their emotions at the incidents of terrorism, maintain peace and defeat all the attempts at destroying the peace of the city in the face of instigations and provocations. We express our sincere condolences and sympathies to the family members of workers of Unit 125, Qasba Aligarh Sector Muhammad Habib, Muhmmad Waqas and Muhammad Zaheer, Shahbaz Qureshi of Maymar Sector and Sarfaraz Ali and Raza of Mairaj-un-Nabi colony and pray Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace.
Respected Journalists
Through your medium we will ask all those who level shameful allegations of target killing and terrorism on the MQM to tell the people as to who are the killers of the MQM workers that are bring killing relentlessly. Who is killing the MQM workers? We want to state in simple and easy terms that the dastardly attempt to suppress the MQM, create hindrances in its way and to blame it are not in the interest of Sindh and the current democratic dispensation.
We thank you again for coming to attend this press conference.
Co-ordination Committee
Muttahida Quami Movement
Pakistan