ISLAMABAD: Rallies in most parts of Pakistan marked an opposition-sponsored “protest day” Friday against what it called the inaction of the Bhutto government in checking the resurgence of violence in the Sindh province.
Prayers and meetings were held to condole the death of those killed in Karachi violence on February 7 when the Mohajir Qaumi Movement had given a call for a “total strike.”
Opposition leaders, who had initially pressed for a General closure Friday, withdrew their call at the last moment saying the day would be observed as a protest day.
Life was normal in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore and some other places, reports here said. Friday being “Juma” (weekly holiday), the markets were already closed.
Meanwhile, reports here said one person received bullet injuries in west Karachi during a funeral procession on Thursday.
The federal government has appointed a commission of inquiry into the causes that led to the loss of lives, injuries and damage to properties in Karachi.
A notification issued by the interior ministry said 66 persons were killed, hundreds injured and property worth millions damaged in Karachi on February 7 and subsequent days.
KARACHI: The Mubajir Quami Movement (MQM) has said it will boycott the current session of the Sind assembly because it felt the lives of this members was in danger.
Leader of MQM in the Sind assembly Tariq Javed informed the speaker that 27 members of MQM could not attend the session, which began on Feb 15, because of danger to their lives.
Javed said in a telegram “we, the members of the Sind assembly feel totally insecure as citizens. Officials, doctors, lawyers, innocent children, old people and women are being killed and abducted by the terrorists of the PPP, Peoples Students Federation and law enforcement agencies.”
He said “under these circumstances it will be a great risk for us to attend the present assembly session and therefore, we, the MQM members, have decided not to attend the session.”
The MQM has 27 members in a house of 116.
Meanwhile, the combined opposition parties (COP) Friday observed a protest day against the killings in Karachi on Feb. 7, in which 66 people were killed and hundreds wounded. Unofficial sources put the death toll at more than 75. The protest passed off peacefully.
The federal government has appointed a high level commission comprising five judges of the Supreme Court and four provincial courts to enquire in to the causes of killing in Karachi.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 23, 1990
