Writ of govt do not exist in City’s Old Town that has been left at the mercy of terrorists: Dr Farooq Sattar
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Posted on: 6/29/2013
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Terming the Karachi’s Old Town `an area where the country’s laws do not apply and where the writ of government do not exist’, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s parliamentary party leader in National Assembly, Dr Muhammad Farooq Sattar said that the area had long been left at the mercy of professional criminal elements and terrorists.
“People residing in the Old town have become hostage while the business and trade of the locality has been destroyed owing to reign of terror unleashed by terrorists and criminal elements,” he added.
He was speaking at an impromptu press conference to apprise newsmen about the indiscriminate firing resorted on him and other members of an MQM delegation which was visiting Mithadar’s Bantwa Lane to express sympathies with the family members of those who lost their lives on Friday when they were sprayed with bullets by terrorists. The press conference held on Saturday at Khursheed Begum Secretariat, located adjacent to MQM headquarters Nine Zero, Azizabad, was also attended by MQM Coordination Committee’s members Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Amin-ul-Haq and Haq Parast MPA Kamran Hussain.
He said that the MQM delegation which included Haq Parast MPA Kamran Hussain, traders and businessmen, began his visit from Mithadar, where they met prominent social worker Abdus Sarttar Edhi and inquired about his health but when the delegation members reached Mithadar’s Bantwa Lane, facing the Lyari’s NA-248 constituency, and were meeting traders and shopkeepers in different markets, some terrorists elements started indiscriminate firing upon them and, as such, they had no option but to abandon their visit and save their lives.
He said that deplored that although the people of the locality and traders despite paying a handsome amount to extortionists on monthly basis to `Bhatta’ mafia were becoming victim of the gangsters’ oppression and suppression and if they refuse to oblige the Bhatta mafia they are killed mercilessly.
When the elected representative of a constituency could not meet and contact his voters then what was the logic behind the country’s political and democratic process, he wondered, saying that it was a big question, especially for Sindh government.
Describing the city’s Old Town as the country’s major economic hub, the MQM leaders said that the locality houses Customs House, wholesale market and several other major business centers and if the present government failed to restore peace and provide protection to lives and properties of traders, it would result in colossal loss to the country’s economy.
He said that the traders and businessmen of the area often complained to them that when they have been paying regular taxes and fulfilling their responsibilities then why their lives and properties were not being protected by law enforcement agencies.
He said that the terrorists riding over 20 motorcycles had made it their habit to unleash a bloodbath in the old town and such incidents were quite different than that of recent killing of MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi and his son.
Deploring that the traders and businessmen of the Old Town were doing their business in a frightening environment and as a result of which their business has been completely shattered and flight of investment was taking place which, he added, was not a good omen.
He said that the businessmen had given a clear message that their lives and properties should be protected and not be left at the mercy of terrorists, or else administration and law-enforcement agencies should tell them that they (businessmen) should take security measures on self-help basis.
At the outset, Dr Sattar urged the federal and provincial governments to take immediate notice of the alarming situation prevailing in the Old Town by initiating action against the terrorists who are out to create anarchy, otherwise such heinous crimes and terrorists activities would result in weakening the country.
Meanwhile, MQM legislator Kamran Hussain told newsmen that it was a matter of great concern that the traders of the Old Town had displayed banners in their markets that they could not continue their business in Ramadan beyond 6pm owing to the menace of extortion money.
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5/18/2024 2:30:34 AM
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