6 December 1998
London time: 1.45 p.m.

SIEGE AND SEARCH OPERATION AT LIAQUATABAD IN KARACHI BY THE PARAMILITARY RANGERS AND POLICE

SEVERAL WOMEN AND CHILDREN INJURED DUE TO INDISCRIMINATE FIRING OF THE LAW ENFORCERS

In the early hours of 6 December 1998, at around 6 a.m. PST, heavy contingent of the personnel of Paramilitary Rangers, Police and CIA cordoned off the entire Liaquatabad Area in Karachi. During this siege and search operation the personnel of law enforcement agencies entered into the houses of Mohajirs, particularly the MQM workers and supporters. They ransacked the house and physically manhandled the male members. When the female members of the families protested peacefully against this inhuman act of the law enforcers, they too were badly beaten. Despite this brutality the ladies continued their peaceful protest. The law enforcers then resorted to indiscriminate firing to disperse the protestors forcibly and beat them up brutally with rifle butts. Due to this heavy indiscriminate firing several people were injured and had been taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The siege and search operation is still continuing and the law enforcers are forcibly entering into the houses of Mohajirs. Entire Liaquatabad Area specially Bandhani Colony, Gahribabad, Sharifabad, Hussainabad and other areas of Unit 158 and 159 are targeted by the law enforcers where the residents are being harassed and terrorised by the brutal actions of the Paramilitary Rangers and Police. No one is allowed to leave or enter in the area. The entire locality has been made hostage in their houses and they are not even being permitted to buy milk. Children are starving and remain without food and milk for several hours.

Earlier at around 2 a.m. PST, a hevay contingent of CIA personnel of Police and plain clothed personnel led by SHO Taufiq Zahid cordoned off the area of Nine Zero and MPA Hostel of the MQM. During this siege and search operation the raiding party raided several houses. They entered forcibly into the house (House No. 513/8 Azizabad, Karachi) in search of Saleem Ahmed. When they were told that no one by that name lives in the house, the personnel of law enforcement agencies started beating the elderly owner of the house Mr. Hidayat Ullah and his brother. When the female members of the family protested against the highhandedness of the Police, they too were molested by the raiding party.