Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers on Friday refuted as “propaganda” Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) claim that its four workers were killed in an operation.

A Rangers communication on Friday termed the claim baseless and misleading. It said that according to information it had the men were in hiding at MQM safe houses. According to Rangers these “terrorists” were involved in the killing of MQM Legal Aid Committee member lawyer Hasnain Bukhari and were in hiding at the behest of the party’s high command.

Earlier, accusing Rangers of extra judicial killing of its four workers near Northern Bypass in Sohrab Goth area, MQM announced a country-wide mourning day on Saturday (today) in protest. MQM asked traders and transporters to support the call by closing down their businesses and transport. The party also announced a protest march from Liaquatabad to Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum on Sunday to register their protest. Rangers had on Thursday night claimed to have killed four suspects in an “encounter” on Northern Bypass near Sohrab Goth.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, MQM’s Farooq Sattar said the four persons killed by Rangers Thursday night were MQM workers. “MQM Rabita Committee has decided to observe a day of mourning across the country against the discriminatory operation by Rangers and police in Karachi,” Sattar said while adding that a new wave of “extra-judicial” killing of his party’s workers has been started.