MQM mourns death of workers

Karachi: Several cities in southern Sind province including Karachi came to a halt on Sunday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) mourned the deaths of its workers whose tortured bodies were found dumped in Mochko, Baldia Town, and one was killed in police captivity.

There was a steep rise in deaths over the weekend with violent killings of at least eight people on Saturday. Besides five MQM workers, two medical practitioners were also gunned down, apparently on sectarian ground.

Early Saturday morning, the bodies of the three MQM workers and supporters were found dumped. The trio were picked up by unknown people who intercepted their vehicle on their way back from a picnic on Friday. All the workers were brutally tortured before being shot in their heads.

Tension mounted further as one of the MQM workers who was in police remand died mysteriously. Police claimed that Faraz Alam, who was in his early 20s, died of cardiac arrest. The MQM rejected the police’s version saying savage torture led to Alam’s death in police custody.

The MQM leaders and workers gathered outside the chief minister’s house to which routes were blocked by heavy shipping containers placed by the administration. However, the leaders and the workers jumped over the containers and amassed in front of the house demanding instant action against the police officials under whose custody Alam died.

Altaf Hussain, the MQM leader addressing the protesting workers overnight, warned the authorities of facing divine wrath for killing his party’s workers. On the one hand, Hussain said, the party workers were falling prey to the banned militant group and, on the other, law enforcement agencies were executing the workers extra judicially.

Transport, trade and business remained closed in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur and other towns in the Sindh province.

Funeral prayers of the slain workers were held at the Jinnah Ground near the MQM headquarters.

Upon unsatisfactory response from the government, the MQM chief extended the Sunday mourning protest until Monday and called upon transporters, businessmen and other segments of society in Sindh province to keep their trades shut.

The government minister said that the police officials were suspended immediately and a committee was constituted to probe into the killing of MQM worker in custody, and so the MQM should review its decision to observe strike on Monday.