MQM’s Qaumi Unity Conference : Agencies warn of attacks on rallies

Tribune
Violence could lead to a spate of target killings, ethnic violence, officials fear

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s efforts of showing that it is quintessentially a national party may be marred by security concerns. Intelligence agencies have warned of possible attacks on the participants at its Qaumi Unity Conference to be held on Sunday (today) at Jinnah Ground, Azizabad.

People from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds living in Karachi — except those belonging to Urdu-speaking families — will participate in the conference where MQM chief Altaf Hussain will address the assembly by telephone. He is expected to express his views on the national issues that have gripped the country.

Scores of people are expected to gather for Qaumi (national) Unity — as its name suggests — from different parts of the metropolis in the form of rallies, processions and reception camps that have been set up across Karachi.

However, security agencies have cautioned of an expected attack on the rallies and processions as well as the reception camps. All town police officers have also been directed to take extraordinary security measures, officials revealed.

A senior police official told The Express Tribune that the police have information of threats ranging from crime to terrorism. “The culprits might target the rallies and reception camps by firing,” said the officer. It is also feared that any untoward incident might provoke ethnic violence and targeted killings in the city, he added.

Security forces have also declared some areas most sensitive, including Bin Qasim, Shah Latif, Sachal, Gadap, Surjani, Orangi town, Keamari, Mauripur, Baldia and Neelum Colony.

Meanwhile, an MQM leader, requesting anonymity, said that keeping in view that this public meeting will be attended by non-Urdu speaking people, it will have its uniqueness and it will amply demonstrate the MQM as a political party that has transcended beyond caste, colour, creed and ethnicity. “It is not for the first time when MQM has [received] threats. We have been facing threats [ever] since MQM chief Altaf Hussain openly spoke on extremism and Talibanisation,” he said. “Any third party would be responsible if target killing or ethnic violence began after this conference.” MQM deputy convenor Dr Farooq Sattar also visited camps that have been set up to welcome rallies arriving from different parts of the city for the convention. He praised the efforts of MQM activists on duty at the camps.

Despite the looming fear, text messages are also being circulated that are also fuelling panic among those who want to participate in the conference.

Sacked employees attack KESC office

Tribune
Former employees of KESC take to the streets of Karachi in protest. 

KARACHI: Dismissed employees of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) staged a protest in Karachi on Thursday against their lay-offs.

They attacked the KESC office near Defence Phase 4, demanding their immediate reinstatement. Angry employees damaged the office property and other KESC personnel.

Speaking to Express 24/7 after the attack on the KESC office, KESC spokesperson Ayesha Eirabie said that following today’s incident, there was no room for negotiation. “Now, we would not even try and listen to what the union has to say.”

She said the situation had been created by the union, accusing them of trying to destroy the company’s property, of assaulting its employees and of trying to disrupt its operations.

KESC laid off over 4,000 workers on Wednesday, under a cost-cutting drive to make the utility financially viable.

A company press release put it as the “elimination of a number of its [KESC’s] non-core and redundant functions”.

KESC Spokesperson, Ayesha Eirabie told a private TV channel that these employees were offered a golden handshake.

Eirabie claims they were offered to take their retirement voluntarily however, they declined it.

The fired employees include sanitary workers, security guards, bill distributors, attendants and drivers. The company announced that non-core office jobs have been outsourced. At the same time, other positions such as petrol pump attendant, office time keeper, junior office attendant, daftari and typist have been abolished.

NATO trucks attacked in Pakistan, driver killed

Taliban militants are determined to disrupt
the route and avenge US drone strikes in
Pakistan's tribal belt

AFP

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Taliban militants in northwest Pakistan attacked two NATO supply trucks early Wednesday, killing a driver and wounding two other people, officials said.

Half a dozen militants armed with assault rifles launched the attack in Landikotal, a town in Pakistan's tribal district of Khyber on the border with Afghanistan, the officials said.

Pakistani officials this month reported US drone strikes in Khyber, an apparent expansion of the covert drone programme previously confined to targeted Al-Qaeda and Taliban commanders elsewhere in the tribal belt.

"The militants started firing from the hilltop. A driver of one truck was killed on the spot, while his helper and another driver of another truck were injured," local administrative official Iqbal Khatak told AFP.

Intelligence officials said the militants fled after the attack, and confirmed that the trucks were carrying goods for NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Pakistan shut its main northwestern border crossing to NATO supply vehicles on September 30 for 11 days after a cross-border NATO helicopter assault killed two Pakistani soldiers.

The bulk of supplies and equipment required by foreign troops in Afghanistan is shipped through Pakistan, although US troops increasingly use alternative routes through central Asia.

Scores of NATO supply vehicles were destroyed in gun and arson attacks while the border crossing was shut, with Taliban militants determined to disrupt the route and avenge US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal belt.

Pakistan condemns terrorist attack in Iran

APP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the port City of Chabahar in Iran leading martyrdom of 39 innocent persons and injuring more than 80.

Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit in a statement issued here said, “The Government of Pakistan expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the bereaved families.”

The spokesman said, “The perpetrators of this heinous crime are common enemies of both Iran and Pakistan.”

Referring its close brotherly ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan also expressed its resolve and commitment to closely cooperate with Iran to defeat the menace of terrorism.