The News
International

4 November 1999

Muttahida demands reopening of all high profile cases

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The Coordination Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has demanded that all the high profile cases should be re-opened and that impartial enquiry of these cases is conducted.

The committee also demanded of the government to stop forthwith the arrest and raids at the houses of MQM workers. Deputy Convenor of the Muttahida's Coordination Committee Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh addressing a press conference at Nine Zero on Wednesday urged the government to release all Muttahida activists, booked in false cases and languishing in jails.

He demanded of the government to book all the police officials involved in 'extra-judicial killings' and put them for trial. He requested the government to clear the police department and administration of black sheep.

He hoped that the government in the larger national interest would give attention to his party's demands and would take concrete measures to address its grievances. He also appealed to the Chief Executive of the country and the members of National Security Council to take notice of atrocities being committed against the people living in the urban areas of Sindh.

He also asked the COAS to hold investigations on his own as to how 'prejudiced' steps were being taken by the police against the Muttahida activists after the dismissal of the Nawaz government. He claimed that there was no noticeable change observed in the attitude of the administration and police, adding that the people were compelled to think that Mohajirs were still being crushed despite the change in the prejudiced government of Nawaz Sharif.

He said his party wanted to play a positive role in the restoration of democracy in the country and strengthen the roots of democratic institutions, and vowed that his party could not be kept aloof from its pious struggle for the cause country no matter what be the level of suppression it has to face.

Expressing his deep concern over the mysterious movement of a yellow cab around Nine Zero Azizabad on October 29, he said that his party has apprised the COAS of the incident and was waiting for a reply from Islamabad. He said it is unfortunate that the police officers involved in 'extra-judicial killing' of Muttahida workers and supporters were moving freely.