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MQM, other parties stage Senate walkout over Nine Zero raid
ISLAMABAD: Senators from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other opposition parties staged a walkout from the Senate over a raid conducted by Rangers at MQM Headquarters Nine Zero in Karachi.
Speaking outside the Parliament House, MQM Senator Babar Ghauri called today a ‘black day’ stating that if there were criminal elements in his party a list should be provided and they would be removed.
Ghauri also called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army chief General Raheel Sharif to take notice and launch an investigation into the raid.
Another MQM Senator Tahir Mashhadi alleged PML-N was taking revenge from his party over supporting the PPP. “Rangers are after my party and the people of Karachi are asking why they are being punished.”
PML-N leader Raja Zafar-ul-Haq categorically denied that his party was taking revenge from the MQM for supporting the PPP. Haq said it was decided that the chief minister of each province would be the ‘captain’ of security operations and he would raise the issue of the Nine Zero raids with Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah.
PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said Rangers personnel had themselves become the judge and today’s incident would have a great impact. The Senator added that a human rights or some other committee should be formed to monitor the activities of Rangers.
Raza Rabbani from the PPP said it was not appropriate to raid the office of a political party under the cover of the night. Rabbani further said Rangers should have informed the MQM leadership about the raid; however, democratic forces would have to rid themselves of criminal elements.
ANP leader Shahi Syed emphasised that action should be taken against terrorists’ no matter where they were, adding: “We are vilifying and destroying our institutions.” He also called from an inquiry into the raid at Nine Zero.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk