MQM TO HOLD WORLD WIDE PROTESTS INCLUDING HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST THE GENOCIDE OF MOHAJIRS AND STATE TERRORISM BY THE NAWAZ SHARIF GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE MOHAJIR NATION

Karachi – 19 July 1999

Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has decided to hold world-wide protests including hunger strike against the genocide of Mohajirs and State terrorism by the Nawaz Sharif Government against the Mohajir Nation. This decision was announced by the Deputy Convenor of the MQM Co-ordination Committee Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh in a huge press conference at Karachi Press Club.

He said that the Co-ordination Committee has unanimously decided to hold world wide protests and demonstrations including hunger strike against the Genocide, excesses and atrocities of the Nawaz Sharif Government against the Mohajir nation in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and other urban centres of Sindh, Southern Pakistan.

He said that the Committee has issued directives to its overseas units including the United Kingdom and United States of America to seek permission from the Administration of their respective countries to hold demonstrations, protests and hunger strikes opposite prominent places of their respective countries.

He said that all the overseas units will held hunger strike indefinitely opposite places like No. 10 Downing Street, White House, Congress of the USA, United Nations Offices and other prominent places of their respective countries subject to permission. Hunger strike shall continue indefinitely until the atrocities and excesses committed against the Mohajir Nation and the MQM leaders, workers, supporters and their relatives by the Nawaz Sharif Government is stopped in the urban centres of Sindh, southern Pakistan.

He said that the MQM is now compelled to launch this campaign to internationalise the State terrorism perpetrated by the Nawaz Sharif Government as all doors in the country are shut for Mohajirs and the MQM. He said that the President, Chief of Army Staff and even the Supreme Court seem unable to provide justice. He said that within a short span of time, on the ground of political victimisation 44 Mohajirs including MQM office bearers and workers have been arbitrarily sentenced to death by the Kangaroo Courts established by the Nawaz Sharif Government. He further stated that in the past 3 days, the police in Karachi have extrajudicially executed seven Mohajirs.

Senator Aftab Ahmed Shiekh said that Senator Nasreen Jalil (Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Committee) will begin the indefinite observance of the hunger strike tomorrow morning, 20 July 1999 opposite No. 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP followed by Shiekh Liaquat Hussain, MQM Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly of Pakistan, Senator Mustapha Kamal, other elected Members of the National Assembly, Provincial Assembly and the office bearers and workers of the MQM International Secretariat, London. Members of the Mohajir British Pakistani community have also expressed their desire to participate in the hunger strike, which would be in two 12 hours shifts daily.