Daily Times

KARACHI: Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leaders Dr Farooq Sattar, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, Amir Khan and Aamir Liaquat Hussain were arrested on Monday after their party workers turned violent and attacked the office of a private new television channel.

Chaos – which left a person dead and seven others injured – erupted after the speech of MQM founder Altaf Hussain, who protested lack of coverage by the media.

According to reports, angry Muttahida workers broke into the office of ARY news channel, tortured the staff and started destroying equipment. The channel’s management claimed the attackers were armed and misbehaved with the staff, including female workers.

The demonstrators reportedly blocked roads, pelted stoned at the building of the news channel and resorted to aerial firing. The MQM actives then set ablaze a police mobile, private motorcycles and other vehicles parked on the road. A DSNG van of a private news channel was also attacked at Fawara Chowk near the Governor’s House.

Seven people, including two women, were injured due to the firing and the subsequent stampede. Two policemen have also being reported injured by the hands of demonstrators.

Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Head of Emergency Seemin Jamali said, “At least one person has been brought dead (to JPMC), while several others were injured.”

The name of the deceased is Arif Saeed, who is said to be an MQM activist. The area deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and the station house officer (SHO) were also beaten. Two people who received bullet injures were identified as Nauman and Aslam, while two injured women Farhana and Farzana were also being treated at the hospital. According to reports, three cameramen – belonging to Samaa, Neo and News 24 – were also among the injured.

Police fired teargas shells at the protesters present near the Governor’s House, whereas traffic on a number of roads, including Fawara Chowk, Zaibun Nisa Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, II Chundrigar Road, Dr Ziauddin Road and Club Road, remained jammed as a result of the unrest.

Meanwhile, Sindh Rangers arrested MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Khawaja Izharul Hassan when they were just about to address a press conference at the Karachi Press Club. Farooq Sattar questioned the Rangers’ action, but an officer then asked him to cooperate with the paramilitary force. Later in the evening, Rangers also arrested MQM leaders Aamir Liaquat Hussain from his office on II Chundrigar Road and Amir Khan from Azizabad.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah telephoned Sindh Police Inspector General (IG) AD Khawaja and directed him to control the situation at the earliest and take action against those involved in firing.

The police, on the directives of their superiors, removed the MQM camps installed in front of the Karachi Press Club, where the party workers had been staging a hunger strike for the past few days. The police also arrested several people from the area around the press club.

Meanwhile, a female member of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the MQM, Irum Azeem Farooque, tendered her resignation following Altaf Hussain’s speech that led to attacks on the media house. In a statement on Twitter, Irum said she was embarrassed to watch the videos of MQM workers ransacking ARY News office and clashing with the police. She also urged party workers to refrain from taking law in their hands.