MQM demands information about the 45 workers who went missing during the targeted operation
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Posted on: 2/11/2014
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Claims by the police and other agencies that these missing workers were not in there custody do not absolve them of their responsibility
MQM’s Rabita Committee has demand information about workers who are victims of enforced disappearances within 24 hours. They added that police’s statement that they were not in their custody did not absolve them from their responsibility.
The Rabita Committee members said, “The police department would have to take action against policemen responsible for the torture on Muhammad Aadil and Salman Fahad, death of a senior citizen Meraj Uddin, who suffered heart attack because of police torture, which caused his death. They have to take action against the policemen responsible for the raid on MQM’s worker wedding and Fahad’s illegal detention and torture. They added that police department would have to prosecute them for torture and killings. They warned that if the department failed to arrest and prosecute them, then MQM would take tough stance and plan to deal with this situation.
“Police has been extorting 20 Crore a day from the citizens of Karachi. It is a tragedy that police has been given the task to launch an operation against extortionists. It appears that the city has been given to contractors to maintain order. Areas have been sold out to people who are not locals. Now these non-local policemen are recovering their money from the innocent people of Karachi by their illegal and biased actions, “Rabita Committee said.
“They are giving MQM workers third degree. They are threatening them to wipe out their race. They are hurling abuses at them. They are calling them Hindustani, “The Rabita Committee members expressed these views while addressing a hurriedly called press conference in the morning. Haider Abbas Rizvi, Amin-ul-Haque, Amir Khan, Wasay Jalil, Waseem Akhtar, Aadil Khan, Aslam Afridi and Rauf Siddiqui were present in the press conference too.
Haider Abbas Rizvi told that journalist that extra judicial killings of MQM workers had been going on regular basis. He added that police had been conducting raids and putting them in illegal detention and subject them to inhume torture.
“Few days ago a senior MQM supporter was going with his son on a motorcycle near Matric Board Office. Police stopped him and insulted him in front of his son on account of pillion riding. He was a pillion passenger. Policemen insulted them and demand Rs. 10,000 as bribe. He had only Rs. 2,000/- in his pocket. This enraged the policemen and they brutally tortured him which caused a heart attack and he died as a result of torture.” Haider Abbas Rizvi shared this tragic incident with the journalists.
He shared another tragic incident with the journalist present in the press conference. He said that unknown law enforcement personnel had picked three members of MQM PIB sector and they did not know where they had been taken them. He demanded the recovery of three workers who were victims of enforcement disappeared. He added that in addition to these three MQM workers there were 45 MQM workers who had become victims of enforcement disappearances. He deplored that more than year had passed they still not know anything about these 45 workers.
‘It is a tragic day for us today. Mother of a missing worker Muhammad Ali’s has passed today. She could not bear the tragic incident. Today, her funeral prayer will be held at Gulbahar. The young son of MQM Tanzeemi Committee member Muhammad Ayaz has died in a mysterious accident MQM is investigating into the accident and trying to get footage of the accident.” Haider Abbas said.
He also shared the tragic death of Muhammad Aadil who succumbed to his injuries. Rangers had picked him up on February 9. He added that he was subjected to inhumane torture and was handed to his brother in a critical condition. He said that Rangers called his brother at 3 am and asked his brother to take him home. His brother found him in unconscious state and blood was coming out of his head. They rushed him to a hospital. Doctors tried to save his life.
Haider Abbas Rizvi also shared the tragic incident which happened to a worker of Korangi sector. “Fahad was picked from his wedding event and brutally tortured. They cut his lips and applied current to his private parts and pushed diesel in anus. This kind of inhume torture can compel anyone to say anything in his confessional statement. If police is subjected to this kind of torture, they would say what their tormentors would want them to say,” Haider Abbas said.
“Torture on Fahad cannot be labeled as negligence. They applied torture on the private parts of a young man on his wedding night. They had tried to humiliate him. Distribution of awards to such police officer by the police chief shows their hatred. This incident did not occur accidently. It was pre-mediated plan of the police”, Haider Abbas deplored.
“MQM Korangi sector’s worker Salam and his nephew were arrested by the policemen near Korangi Crossing. They released his nephew at Tower. On the next, his nude mutilated body is found. His body was sent to Eidhi Foundation Morgue. MQM’s five workers have been buried by declaring them unknown person. Policemen who had tortured Fahad threatened to him kill the way killed Salman. They mock what would MQM do – a half day strike for him. If we kill 20 workers, they will call 20 strikes. We will kill you and others, “
“People of Karachi are being brutally oppressed by the rulers. They don’t have the right to hire sweepers for them. Sweepers are hired at the recommendation of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. We are powerless. The Sindh Government has taken all departments from us. We have approached every forum to seek justice for enforced disappearances, extra judicially killings and torture on our workers. We have approached courts, the high court and the Supreme Court. No one listened to our please. We cannot bear the sobs and wails of the family members of workers who have become victims of enforced disappearances”, Haider Abbas said.
“We have received information that SHOs and SPS have formed teams consisting of private people. They are not from the police department. They are being used by police stations.” Haider told journalists.
“Our people are being tortured in police station. Tormentors are using the ‘Muhajir’ to call the detained workers. Why are being tortured using the name ‘Muhajir”? Why are they hurling abuses at us? Why are they threatening to wipe out races? Who are these biased people? We are Pakistanis. Our forefathers had struggled for this homeland for centuries and we endured punishment of Kala Pani for this.” Haider Abbas said.
Addressing the journalists present in the press conference, Haider Abbas said to them they should report facts after thorough investigation and research. He urged to visit MQM workers and to see how they had been subjected inhuman torture.
Haider Abbas Rizvi said that only MQM has been targeted in the operation. He added that they can tell how their workers are being tortured and executed extra judicially. Why other parties are silent? Because they are not being targeted.
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4/26/2024 5:23:08 PM
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