11 arrested in Karachi for slogans, flags supporting MQM founder Altaf Hussain

KARACHI: Several individuals have been arrested for participating in a rally in support of MQM founder Altaf Hussain on Karachi’s Arif Jiyeja Street, it emerged on Friday.

The first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on Thursday and under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

It nominated 11 people and said that police constable Deedar Ali, while on patrol duty, saw some people forming a group, chanting slogans in favour of Hussain and carrying flags with “jiye Altaf” and “48th foundation day APMSO” written on them.

Hussain’s political career began during his student years at the University of Karachi (KU), when he and Azeem Ahmed Tariq founded the All-Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (APMSO).

As per the FIR, the constable said the slogans were causing “tensions and hostility” and inciting political parties in the area, indicating that the situation could escalate further.

Hence, police mobiles and personnel were called in, surrounding the demonstrators before arresting 11.

On the other hand, in a statement, the MQM claimed its workers were arrested during a “raid at an office” located at I.I. Chundrigar Road, asserting that the office had “no link to MQM or its activities”.

It also demanded the release of the arrested individuals.

The MQM under Hussain was accused of using violent tactics to attain and retain political power. On the contrary, Hussain maintained that the state and other political parties have targeted MQM and its workers ever since its formation.

The final undoing of the MQM, as it was known, came after Hussain delivered an incendiary speech in August 2016 in which he not only raised slogans against Pakis­tan but also called the country “a cancer for the entire world”. Hours after the speech, MQM workers had attacked the ARY News office in Kara­chi.

Authorities launched a crackdown following the speech and the MQM’s Karachi headquarters and Hussain’s residence in Azizabad were sealed. Later, Hussain’s own party leaders in Pakistan distanced themselves from him and omitted his name from the party constitution.