For the second time in four months, Rangers soldiers swooped down on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters a day before Eid, detaining two party leaders for allegedly instigating people against the paramilitary force. The first raid prompted a bitter stand-off between the two sides.A large contingent of Rangers, which currently enjoys policing powers in the province, arrived at the MQM headquarters Nine-Zero around 2am and arrested MQM Co-ordination Committee In-charge Kaiful Warah and senior leader Qamar Mansoor.A Rangers statement confirmed the detention of two MQM leaders and vowed more arrests in the near future. A spokesperson said the two persons were arrested on the charges of arranging and facilitating hate speeches. “In those violence-inciting speeches, officers of Rangers striving for peace in Karachi were targeted, thus inciting violence against the law enforcement agencies of the state,” the statement read. “A list of such facilitators has been finalised and more arrests will be made in the near future.”Earlier, on March 11, the Rangers had carried out a similar targeted operation and arrested more than 120 MQM workers. The paramilitary forces’ spokesperson has indicated that a list of such facilitators has been finalised and more arrests will be made in the near future. The Rangers have been carrying out the operation for the last one year when the civilian and military leadership took a decision to purge Karachi of all kinds of criminals and terrorists. The ongoing operation is aimed at restoring peace in the biggest commercial hub of Pakistan. The latest raid has intensified a showdown between the MQM and the paramilitary forces. The MQM leadership has come down hard on the paramilitary forces’ action and termed it a violation of human rights. The MQM has urged civil society to raise its voice against the Rangers. MQM chief Altaf Hussain has announced to go on a hunger strike unto death against the injustice being meted out to the MQM.Although the MQM is not responsible for the ills in Karachi, yet it cannot be absolved of all blame. Karachi is dominated by the MQM and it enjoys a monopoly in the city. Due to the linkages of criminals with the MQM, the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had to take stern action against such elements within the party. The MQM needs to dissociate itself from its militant wing otherwise the party has no future. The MQM should change its threatening behaviour towards the army and Rangers. Instead of resorting to provocative speeches, it should cooperate with the LEAs for the cleansing of the city.The MQM needs to understand that the ongoing operation is being carried out against criminals and terrorists while the LEAs are more resolute this time that they will carry out their task without any political pressure.
pk.shafaqna.com
MQM in woods: Can Altaf Hussain save it from disintegration?
