Pak charges MQM chief with treason

Karachi, Aug 23 (PTI) Pakistan today charged MQM chiefAltaf Hussain with treason for his inflammatory speech thatincited party workers to attack media outlets here. Hussain, leader of Mutthaida-E-Qaumi Movement – the singlelargest party in Karachi, was accused of raising anti-Pakistanslogans at a protest rally that turned violent. Several journalists of various media organisation wereattacked by the activists of the MQM. The protesters peltedstones and resorted to heavy aerial firing that killed oneperson and wounded others. Two cases have been filed against Hussain: one for treasonfor his anti-Pakistan speech to participants in the hungerstrike organised by MQM and the other for inciting partyworkers to violent protests, Inspector General of Sindh ADKhawaja was quoted as saying by the Geo News. The case pertains to the attack on ‘ARY’ News’ office,vandalising of property, arson and pelting of stones atpolice. MQM party workers took to streets yesterday after Hussain,in an address from London, incited them to storm media outletsand chant anti-Pakistan slogans during the hunger strike. Thehunger strike was launched to protest the disappearance andarrest of their workers by the paramilitary rangers. Responding to the protests, paramilitary rangers launcheda major offensive here and sealed offices of the party. The senior membership of MQM confirmed that they are nolonger under the directive of Hussain. Senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar and other leaders saidthat in future the party would operate from Pakistan alone andthat all decisions would be taken by the leadership inPakistan and not from London from where Hussain has controlledthe MQM for years now. "The MQM should operate from Pakistan alone," Sattar said. "We totally disassociate ourselves from the violence thattook place in Karachi yesterday. It is totally against ourpolicy to use violence to achieve our ends," he added. "Altaf Hussain and the entire party are being ridiculeddue to these statements," Sattar added. "Enough is enough we cannot side with anti-Pakistanstatements or ideology," said another MQM leader Aamir LiaquatHussain. The MQM remains the single largest party in Karachi fordecades now and have dominated the political landscape foryears sweeping provincial and national elections but since theclean-up operation began on the orders of the centre, theparty has come under intense pressure. PTI CorrUZM