The Co-ordination Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has strongly condemned the killing of innocent people, including women and children, by the firing of armed terrorists on the pretext of a rally here on Tuesday. The committee condemned the torching of vehicles and setting on fire shops and markets in various areas.
The committee said the rejected elements that had taken out the rally in Karachi had planned the firing beforehand which was used as a pretext for violence and arson. Rockets were fired in Boultan Market, Denso Hall, Pan Mandi, Jodia Bazar, Kharadar and other adjoining areas. Indiscriminate firing was done on the pedestrians and passers-by and vehicles parked in market areas and before shopping centres were set ablaze.
Public property was damaged and police stations were attacked with rockets, hand grenades and other sophisticated and lethal weapons. Innocent people, including women and children received bullet injuries and died because of the intense firing of armed assailants. The elements involved in Tuesday's violence and arson were the same that had taken on the police with heavy weapons sometimes ago.
The way Karachi was forced into violence and bloodshed on the pretext of a rally has demonstrated that the rally taken out by the rejected elements was the part of a planned conspiracy to create bloodshed and law and order situation in the city. It was not for expressing love for Sindh.
The co-ordination committee regretted that effective action was not taken by police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies against terrorists who went on a shooting spree and soaked the city in the blood of innocent people. The co-ordination committee extended sympathies to the bereaved families who lost their loved-ones in the violence.
The co-ordination committee demanded of President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat- ul-Ebad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to take serious notice of the unrestrained violence and mayhem in Karachi on the pretext of a rally and bring the elements responsible for the loss on innocent lives to book. The co-ordination committee appealed to the general public to restrain their emotions in spite of the terrorist acts and maintain peace and order at every cost.-PR