950806

Altaf calls on

Mohajirs to

forge unity in

their ranks

LONDON: Altaf Hussain, founder leader of MQM now in self-exile in London has said "the oppressive operation against the Mohajirs are still continuing and they are still being treated as occupied nation", by those deployed in Karachi and Hyderabad for restoration of law and order.

Altaf Hussain referring to the statement of the Interior Minister that operation in Karachi had been stopped and only terrorists are being hunted. The MQM chief said the masses of the country could no more be deceived and misled by such statements.

Altaf Hussain said "the fact is that every day the Rangers, police and other forces deployed in Karachi siege different colonies and in the name of house-to-house-search, thousands of young and old men are rounded up without assigning any reasons. They are taken to unknown places blind-folded as if they are prisoners of war, humiliated and tortured."

He said this "treatment reflects the tendency of ethnic and fascist rulers".

Altaf Hussain castigated all involved in "humiliating the Mohajirs, whose forefathers were creator of sovereign Pakistan and the patriotism of their present generation could not be challenged by those who opposed its creation or made no contribution towards its creation."

He called upon his party workers, supporters and sympathisers to further strengthen unity in their ranks and hold fast their ideological concept to face the new challenges of the government, directed to "crush them".

He said he was confident that dawn will break and their democratic, political and constitutional rights would be restored by those now trying to crush them.-PPI