TODAY’S STRIKE WAS "MOTHER OF ALL STRIKES" IN THE HISTORY OF PAKISTAN --- MUTTAHIDA QUAMI MOVEMENT

Karachi – 4 September 1999

Despite indiscriminate spate of raids and arrests of MQM workers and their relatives including the elders in Karachi and rural Sindh, the fascist and racist Government of Nawaz Sharif miserably failed to sabotage the total strike in Sindh province called by the MQM, said the spokesperson of the Muttahida Quami Movement.

The spokesperson declared today’s strike as "Mother of All Strikes" in the history of Pakistan. "Despite, the Nazi style heavy security clampdown ever witnessed in history of the present Pakistan, extrajudicial executions of two Mohajirs and unprovoked firing at the rally of the MQM held in Karachi yesterday, the people remained undeterred throughout Sindh province today, in their support of the strike call made by the MQM. Entire Karachi and rural Sindh was at a stand still and nothing moved", said the spokesperson of the MQM. Police carried out roads throughout the night in Karachi and arrested several MQM workers on fabricated charges. Of those arrested are members of Malir Unit 94, including Younus Khokhar, Zafar and Rashid Ghaznavi. Yesterday at Fresco Chowk some members of MQM North Nazimabad Unit 176, Riaz Ahmed s/o Ejaz Ahmed and Rizwan Ahmed s/o of Khalid Ahmed were also arrested.

Badin Town

Two days ago, police unlawfully arrested member of the MQM Matli Sector Mohammad Alim, 24 and son of Haji Maghrib Ali.

Shah Faisal Colony, Karachi

The S HO of Shah Faisal Town Police Station Mobin is forcing the shopkeepers in his jurisdiction to open their shops under duress and coercion.

Liaquatabad, Karachi

Liaquatabad Police had unlawfully arrested several shopkeepers of Liaquatabad last night in the wake of the strike call given by the MQM. Those shopkeepers have been taken to their shop and being forced to open their shops under duress and coercion.

The spokesperson, finally said that Nawaz Sharif’s days are over which is written all over the walls and he should honourably resign or else he will be disgracefully removed from his office like he experienced in 1993 despite the Supreme Court judgement restoring his government.

Hyderabad: -

The spokesperson said that barbarism of personnel of the Police and other law enforcement agencies was such that during the spate of night long and crack of dawn siege and search operations, they forcibly kicked opened the doors of the houses and arrested the MQM workers, supporters and their relatives without search and arrest warrants. In many cases, they jumped over the fence through ladders desecrating the privacy and respect provided to the citizens of Pakistan in its Constitution, said the spokesperson. Incharge of Hyderabad Sector A, Nasir house was arrested and his brother was arrested.

The spokesperson claimed that the entire neighbourhood of rural Sindh stands witness to the loot and plunder of the houses raided by the police and other law enforcement agencies. He further claimed that according to the eyewitnesses, the men, youths and elderly persons were pulled by their hair while being dragged out of their houses. They were most ruthlessly kicked by the butts of the rifles and the boots while being thrown into the police vehicles from distance, said the spokesperson. The spokesperson further stated that women and girls were physically molested and verbally abused. There has been various rape cases by the raiding contingents, according to the eyewitnesses and the forces deployed belong to Punjab, stated the spokesperson.

There has been thousands of arrests made, said the spokesperson, who added that the MQM is collecting the details. He said that the following are the details so far collected:

A heavy contingent of Police and other law enforcers raided the house of Nasir Gaddi, Incharge of Sector "A" and in his absence; the raiding party has unlawfully arrested his younger brother. An elderly MQM worker Sartaj Baba of the same unit has also been unlawfully arrested. It pertinent to mention that Sartaj Baba is an active MQM worker and was previously unlawfully incarcerated for two years. The police and other law enforcers also raided the house of Rashid, Incharge of Sector "H". In his absence, the raiding party unlawfully arrested his four brothers namely: Sharif, Majid, Mushtaque and Guddu. Many other workers have also been unlawfully arrested whose details are being collected.

Mirpurkhas Town

In past twenty-four (24) hours, police and other law enforcement agents raided various areas of the town and unlawfully arrested; MQM Sector Incharge of Digri Ali Hassan, Joint Incharge of Sector "B" Babu Idrees, Member of Unit "A" and Zaman. Unit Committee Member Abdul Karim, Jameel Bhatti and worker Imran of Kunri Unit were arrested, whereas police Rodley behaved with women present there.

Nawabshah Town

In the command of Additional S H O (Station House Officer) Rashid Araien, during a raid, the police and other law enforcement agents unlawfully arrested Incharge of MQM Unit no.8 Yusuf. In the absence of Yusuf, the raiding contingents arrested his father Yaqub Thakur. The raiding contingents on the information of the police informer unlawfully arrested former Unit Incharge Ghulam Mohammad, former Unit Incharge of Unit no.17 Anwar. According to the information, the police and other law enforcement agents have cordoned off the house of Abdul Majid, former MQM Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh and presently a Member of Muttahida Organising Committee (M O C). His family members are being tortured and pressurised to divulge the whereabouts of Abdul Majid or else the siege will continue.

Sanghar Town

After cordoning off various localities, the police and other law enforcement agents raided several houses of MQM workers and unlawfully arrested; Jamil Rajput, Ghyas, Iftikhar, Salim Rao, Iqbal, Irshad, Nisar, Akram and several others whose details are being collected.

Sanjhoro Town

During raid, the police and other law enforcement agents unlawfully arrested from various places; Iftikhar, Farooq, Rashid and many others whose details are being collected.

Tando Allah Yar Town

The information provided by the police informers, several squads of police and other law enforcement agents raided various hiding places of the MQM workers and unlawfully arrested; former Sector Member of MQM Aftab Alam, member of the Unit Committee Mahmood Qadir, Akbar, Pervaiz, Khalid and several others whose details are being collected. During the raid, police unlawfully arrested the brother-in-law of Aftab Alam visiting from Daulatpur.