Daily Times

KARACHI: DG Rangers Maj Gen Bilal Akbar on Monday said that the August 22 attack on media houses was planned and executed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and six of their party men have confessed to their crime.

“The members of MQM’s unit and sector offices carried out the attack on the directives of the party’s Rabita Committee and Central Executive Committee,” the DG said while talking to media during his visit to Jinnah Hospital here. Miscreants launched attacks on several media offices, soon after party supremo Altaf Hussain delivered hate speech and anti-state remarks last Monday.

Subsequently, MQM’s senior leader Farooq Sattar announced to disassociate the affairs of the party from Altaf, saying all political affairs will be run from Karachi. “The six arrested miscreants have revealed that they brought batons and knives and organised the attackers on the directives given,” Gen Bilal said. “These six persons are being handed over to police for further investigation and a subsequent trial, while we will continue to carry out raids to nab the remaining miscreants.”

According to the Sindh Rangers chief, two officials working in banks near the Karachi Press Club, belonging to the MQM labour division, provided refuge to the miscreants prior to attack. “One of them, Javaid Shaukat has been arrested while the other, Khurram Khan is still at large and raids are being conducted to arrest him,” the DG said.

Since August 25, more than two dozen offices of MQM reportedly built on government’s land have been demolished while about 200 remain sealed as law enforcement agencies continue crackdown against the party. On Sunday, prominent party leader Asif Husnain announced to part ways with the MQM and joined Mustafa Kamal’s Pak Sarzameen Party, which already comprises several prominent political figures.