So now these police officers, who blamed the MQM for this recent ethnic mess are being labeled as Taliban supporters! :hehe: Their crime i.e. speaking the truth and doing their job! Also why are they so afraid of a door to door weapons check?
MQM demands removal of Sindh IG, CCPO
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Friday demanded the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Sindh, Babar Khattak and Capital City Police Officer Waseem Ahmed from their offices, accusing them of supporting land and drug mafias and criminals.
This demand was made by members of the MQM Coordination Committee, London, and the Rabita Committee, Karachi, while addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club. They said the two police officers be removed from their offices, if the federal and provincial governments wanted to ensure peace in Karachi.
They accused them of providing support to the drug and land mafias as well as criminals in the city. They said a 1993-like operation would not be allowed. The MQM was not afraid of any such operation, they said. The operation could never eliminate the MQM, they added.
Referring to the IG and the CCPO, MQM leader Anwar Alam said that in a meeting on Wednesday, the two police officers misguided the Sindh chief minister. They made an attempt to give the April 29 violence an ethnic colour instead of pointing fingers at land and drug mafias and criminals, he said.
He said the two officers even misguided the prime minister in a meeting held on the law and order situation at the Chief Minister House on Friday. They made no mention of the drug and land mafias as well as criminals, but put all the blame of violence on the MQM.
Alam said the two officers had also suggested door-to-door search for weapons in Karachi. He said the MQM would never allow such a step. If any such step was taken, then the MQM would be compelled to take some drastic measures, he added.
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Replying to a question, he said the MQM demanded removal of the two police officers and not to carry out door-to-door search to disarm the citizens. He asked as to why these police officers were unable to see the illegal depots of arms and ammunition in Banaras Colony, Sohrab Goth and Super Highway, where there were huge caches of arms and ammunition.**
The committee members said that before addressing a press conference, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani talked to MQM Quaid Altaf Hussain on telephone and assured him of giving a serious thought to the situation.
Responding to a question, Anwar Alam and Anis Kaimkhani said the MQM had not given any ultimatum to the government. When asked was there any hope that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would accept the demand of the MQM, the committee members said Zardari would accept their demands as they had supported them through thick and thin.
They said the drug mafia had opened fire from hilltops, killing two MQM workers and injuring law-enforcement agencies personnel. The incident took place in Zarina Colony, North Karachi, they added.
They said to divert attention from this incident, the drug mafia, supported by the Taliban, resorted to firing in various parts of the city. Had the police taken timely action against the criminals, lives would not have been lost, they added.
They said MQM Quaid Altaf Hussain had appealed to his supporters not to get provoked on that. They said the MQM would never allow a search operation for arms in Yousuf Plaza, Federal B Area.
MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi said before carrying out a search in Karachi, door-to-door search should be conducted in the NWFP, from where illegal arms were being smuggled to Karachi.
Mustafa said at the request of Altaf Hussain, the citizens of Karachi had obtained arms licences. They had the right to safeguard and protect themselves, he added. The committee members asked as to what action had been taken so far against the drug dens in the city.
Anis Kaimkhani asked the Sindh IG and the CCPO that what action they had taken in Lyari. Why they were unable to arrest Rehman Dacoit, he further asked.
They were trying to take action against the innocent citizens, but the MQM would never allow any such act, the committee members said.
MQM leaders Saleem Shehzad, Dr Farooq Sattar, Raza Haroon and Shoaib Bukhari were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, a large number of the MQM supporters gathered at the Karachi Press Club. They chanted slogans in support of Altaf Hussian and the MQM. Dr Farooq Sattar addressed the charged crowd.
