40 jailed MQM workers tortured by Rangers; alleges Farooq Sattar

KARACHI, March 13: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Coordination Committee member and Member National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar on Sunday accused the Rangers of torturing 40 party workers imprisoned at the Karachi Central Jail. He said conspiracy of minus one formula against MQM is being hatched, adding that efforts are being made to disintegrate MQM. He said MNAs and MPAs of MQM are being contacted from unknown numbers and are asked to join the party present on the other side of the bridge. Farooq Sattar said ‘some powers’ are forcing under-trial MQM prisoners in the jail to change their loyalties or face consequences.
Rangers and police on Friday night raided a barrack in central jail where MQM prisoners are incarcerated and tortured them. At least 40 under-trial prisoners of MQM were forced out of their barracks 19, 20, 25 and 26 to face the assault of law enforcers” he told a crowded press conference on Sunday.
The prisoners were given a form with a message to support “a specific individual”, said MQM leader without naming any dissident party leader like Mustafa Kamal.
He claimed that workers were forced to change loyalties with a written guarantee. “Let me clear that the situation is not similar to that of 1992,” underlined Sattar.
Sattar told that their information was completely credible while prisoners’ families had also confirmed it.
He said ‘some powers’ were offering imprisoned MQM workers to release them on “certain conditions”. He mentioned that none of the MQM prisoners were facing any jail-manual violation, nor they had any case against them.
Sattar said some MQM parliamentarians were also receiving calls from unknown numbers and facing threats to change their loyalties. The cat has come out of the bag now. And our suspicion has now been confirmed, he added. We strongly condemn this action and appeal Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to investigate this incident.
We want the top officials to expose the reality behind this “game”, he added. He reiterated that MQM was once again being pushed against the wall.
He said he had received reports that a heavy contingent of Rangers on Friday evening “conducted an operation” at the Karachi prison – in barracks 18, 19, 25 and 26 – and took away 40 under-trial ‘MQM prisoners whose cases are pending hearing.’
“We heard they were tortured and intimidated,” he said, adding that jail administration cooperated with the Rangers. Sattar alleged the jail’s superintendent and other officials were also present when the paramilitary personnel conducted the ‘raid.'”I also appeal courts and human rights organizations to take notice of violation of jail rules,” he said. “Family member of missing and jailed MQM workers are also receiving such threatening calls,” he claimed.-SABAH