MQM fears rise in extra-judicial killings
By Our Reporter

KARACHI, April 4: Apprehend-ing escalation in extra-judicial killings in the city, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Sunday accused the government of eliminating the opposition to make the PML successful in the planned local bodies elections.

"The police have become a political party, they are biased, and are deliberately trying to create an environment which would facilitate the PML thugs to be successful in the planned local bodies elections," said Senator Aftab Shaikh at a news conference at Karachi Press Club.

"We would never accept such local bodies elections held in a police state, we would not let Nawaz Sharif to engineer results of his own liking here," he said, adding that "after the local bodies elections the Sindh assembly, which has been strangulated through governor's rule, will be targeted and might be dissolved."

Referring to alleged attempts by the local administration to implicate the MQM in the murder of Sunni Tehrik's Javed Qadri, Senator Shaikh, who was flanked by Dr Farooq Sattar, Kunwar Khalid Younus and Babar Ghouri, accused the police of crossing the limits of civil behaviour and ignoring the orders of the Sindh governor.

He said the attempt to implicate Ahmed, an MQM activist, in the murder of Javed Qadri was deplorable because he was not present on the scene. Ahmed had been picked up during Eid-ul-Azha and was severely tortured by the police in custody. He was released at the same time the murder of Javed Qadri took place.

Dr Farooq Sattar alleged that even Ahmed was released after paying Rs125,000 to the police.

He said that a police mobile was present on the scene and the victim was taken to the hospital in that vehicle. He alleged that the SHO of Eidgah police station had also released Liaquat and Mohammad Ali, brothers of a sector member, after extorting Rs35,000 each.

He claimed that the residents of Eidgah Sheesha Market (Glass Market), Bohra Pir area, had reported that "the SHO of Eidgah police station, Sohail Salehri, is responsible for continuously terrorizing the residents, particularly the youths who are frequently arrested and released only after taking huge sums in bribe."

Senator Aftab Shaikh said that the residents were threatened by the SHO that if the wanted youths were not handed over to him, he would take away ladies.

The residents, he said, had asked the Sindh governor to take notice of the "biased SHO."

"Whether it is the murder of Asif Bhoja or of any other person in the city, the police and the local administration, instead of going after the real culprits, tried to implicate the MQM," he said.

In this context, he mentioned the Sunni Tehrik's statement denying involvement of the MQM in the murder of Javed Qadri. He alleged that after the incident, the SHO of Eidgah police station, Sohail Salehri, had let loose a reign of terror on the residents by raiding houses in Bohra Pir and the adjoining areas.

Senator Shaikh alleged that the SHO was extorting money for the release of innocent people arrested on one pretext or the other. He said that the statement of the police spokesman amounted to encouraging such uncivilized, extra-constitutional acts and also indicated "the differences between the provincial governor and the Inspector-General police, Sindh."

He said that the fact the IG was acting on a totally different agenda was evident from the fact that despite the governor's directive that no elected representative would be arrested without his prior permission. In this context, he cited the arrest of MPAs Shoaib Bokhari, Wakeel Jamali and Afzal Ahmed.

He accused the IG Sindh of acting in the manner of the Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic, and treating the people of Sindh, especially those of Karachi like the people of Kosovo.

"The Sindh governor is ineffective whereas the IG had the full backing and support of the prime minister," he said.

Referring to the alleged incident of police high-handedness, Senator Shaikh cited the incident of April 3, when the SHO of Liaquatabad police station, Sarwar Commando, and DSP Qamar Ahmed arrested Nasir Shad and a brother of MQM worker Nadir Shah. During the raid, the police used abusive language and even threatened to kill innocent children of the slain MQM worker, Rehan, who was brother-in-law of Nadir Shah, alleged Senator Shaikh. He said that the police decamped with Rs50,000 cash and other valuables.

Meanwhile, Muttahida MNAs on Sunday expressed concern over reports that the police officials had been permitted to shoot-to-kill in retaliation.

They said that since the whole thrust of the anti-terrorism operation was against the MQM, such a power to the police smacked of a stepped up "Mohajir-cleansing operation."