Fear in Landhi subsiding, says Farooq Sattar

The Dawn
By Our Reporter

KARACHI, June 3: Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's coordination committee and a candidate for NA-255 byelections, said on Tuesday that the element of fear which had dominated the mindset of the people of Landhi over the past decade, was fading rapidly and the people of the area were now willingly participating in the democratic process.

Talking to residents of units 81-84 during corner meetings, Dr Farooq Sattar who is pitted against the rival faction's Abid Jaferi and MMA's Aslam Mujahid, said his first priority would be to ensure an active participation of the people in managing their affairs by restoring their confidence.

He said that efforts would be made to reactivate the institutions which had become dormant owing to what he called the enslavement of the locality at gun-point by the activists of the rival faction who had the backing of certain government agencies.

He said that several offices of the Muttahida had been opened in the area which until recently was described as a no-go area by the party. He expressed satisfaction over improvement in law and order situation and said threat and fear of terrorists was fading away owing to the provincial government's policies.

He said in order to allow the democratic dispensation to become deep-rooted, it was essential that people should have freedom to express their views and participate in political activities freely. He emphasised and demanded of the Election Commission to ensures that election were free, fair and transparent.

He promised that the residents of the area would be freed from the clutches of what he called "terrorists" who had usurped their rights at gun-point. He claimed that after 12 years, residents of the area, who were taken hostage by "terrorist", were feeling free. In view of the response of the residents, he felt the Muttahida had won the battle of hearts and minds of the people of the area.

He said those who had made the people suffer, and had created a state within state and there was no writ of the government or the law were now on the run. Dr Farooq Sattar demanded of the government to ensure that those who were involved in terrorist activities be apprehended and those who wanted to carry on their political activities be allowed to do so without any hindrance.

He made it clear that the announcement of Rs 10 billion grant for eradicating no-go areas had nothing to with the by-elections. He also promised that problems of the people of the area would be addressed expeditiously.