DAWN / NEWS International, Karachi 05 August 1998 Wednesday 11 Rabi-us-Saani 1419 MQM urges arrest of partymen's killers KARACHI, Aug 4: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) members of Sindh Assembly on Tuesday condemned raids on the residences of MQM activists and supporters and their arrest and urged chief minister Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi to intervene to prevent such things from happening. They blamed the rival Haqiqi for the killing of party activist Mohammad Akbar in New Karachi and elderly supporter Zaheer Ahmed in Saddar on Monday. They flayed the role of the law-enforcers and accused them of being "biased," and alleged that instead of arresting the killers they were arresting MQM activists and supporters. They claimed that recent incidents had proved that the Haqiqi enjoyed the backing of law-enforcement agencies ---------------------------------- Haqiqi activist granted bail in murder case KARACHI: Asif Shehryar of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM)was granted bail in murder and attempt to murder case in the sum of Rs 50,000 by Additional District and Sessions Judge (East), Akhlaq Hussain Larik on Tuesday. Asif is facing trial for allegedly injuring Abid and killing Abid's father, Tasleem in the area of Saudabad police station. The prosecution claimed that the incident of murder and attempt to murder took place in 1993 because of opening of firing by accused Asif. The court after hearing the arguments deemed it fit to give relief to Asif Shehryar on bail. Meanwhile, District and Sessions Judge (East), Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan acquitted another MQM activist, Zahid Chashma in illegal arms case. The Landhi police in this case had claimed that they had recovered a kalashnikov and other illegal material from the possession of Zahid. However, the case could not be proved against the accused. The same presiding officer also acquitted another accused, Seemab Azeem of illegal arms case. Azeem was alleged to have two kalashnikoves, but the prosecution failed to prove the charges ---------------------------------- Five arrested; vehicle, looted goods recovered KARACHI: The Aziz Bhatti police on Tuesday arrested two people, allegedly involved in vehicle snatching case, after a brief encounter. The police also claimed to have recovered two TT pistols and a snatched vehicle from them. As per details, two armed men snatched a car (ABG-700) from Ahmed Zeb in Bahadurabad police limits. After the incident, Ahmed immediately informed the police about the incident. Subsequently, a message was conveyed to police on wireless. The carjackers were spotted by Aziz Bhatti police when they entered their jurisdiction and a mobile of Aziz Bhatti police gave them a signal to stop. The armed men when saw the police opened fire but after a brief shoot-out police managed to arrest both the accused. During the interrogation accused disclosed their names as Fida Hussain and Javed Bhatti. They also admitted that they snatched several vehicles from different parts of the city. Meanwhile, the New Karachi police arrested three people allegedly involved in robbery cases. Police recovered three TT pistols and looted goods from them. According to details, three armed men barged into the residence of Javed Abbas and locked all the inmates in a room and started collecting cash, jewellery and valuables. In the meantime, one of the neighbours informed the police about the incident. The mobiles of New Karachi police reached the spot while the bandits were leaving. However, police arrested all of them and recovered looted goods from them. During the interrogation, the accused disclosed their names as Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Ilyas and Muhammad Akbar. ---------------------------------- Dacoits on rampage,33 vehicles snatched KARACHI: The armed men looted thousand of rupees, gold ornaments and other valuables and snatched 19 cars and 14 motorcycles from various parts of the city on Tuesday. Three armed men riding a car intercepted a car (S-1955) near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and on gun point looted Rs 100,000 from the owner of the vehicle and managed to escape. Besides armed men looted Rs 50,000, from Muhammad Aleem in Taimuria, cash, jewellery and other valuables from the residence of Munawer Begum in Kalakot, cash, gold ornaments from the residence of Muhammad Ismail in Kalri, Rs 23,705 from Muhammad Shakeel in Khawaja Ajmer Nagri. Bandits also looted cash, jewellery, car and other valuables from the residence of Irshad Aziz in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, cash, gold ornaments, licenced pistol and electrical appliances from the residence of Ali Raza in SITE, cash, jewellery and other valuables from the residence of Muhammad Ashraf and dollars 800 from Khalid Mahmood in Airport. ---------------------------------- Stolen cars being used for crimes, says CPLC KARACHI, Aug 4: A majority of the 539 cars stolen from the city last month were used to commit crimes, according to the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC). The CPLC's data shows that 340 of the cars stolen in July were not new models, but older than 1995. Still older cars, totalling 202 formed the largest bulk of four-wheelers which were snatched at gunpoint or stolen while parked around the city. According to the CPLC, "cars are being stolen by criminal elements from every political party to carry drugs and weapons and for extortion purposes." While it identified urban groups stealing vehicles to commit local crimes, the gangs from the interior of Sindh had been found collaborating in stealing new cars. The profile of the car thefts worked out for July shows that criminal elements are most likely to steal Suzukis of white colour from District East, around Gulshan-i-Iqbal or Ferozabad police sta-tions, on a Friday afternoon or evening in the third week of the month. Car thefts have shown a slight drop in July - 539 compared to 614 in June - following the meeting on law and order chaired by the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, on July 15. In the aftermath of the meeting, rangers were deployed and security measures were intensified around the city, causing car thefts to drop slightly during the last two weeks in July. Nonetheless, the carjacking statistics show that there has been a 60 per cent jump in car theft this year compared to the situation two years ago. While 4,015 cars were stolen between January to July of 1998, 2,416 cars were stolen in the corresponding period two years ago. At the same time, motorcycle thefts have almost doubled over the same period - increasing from 2,613 to 4,895. Last month alone, 668 motorcycles were stolen or snatched in Karachi. The profile of motorcycle thefts shows that most of the two- wheelers were Honda 70s, stolen from District South. On the other hand, District Central had the highest incidence of snatching at gunpoint. With vehicle theft going up since March 1997, the CPLC has proposed the establishment of a National Vehicle Registration/ Theft/Recoveries Authority which would be chaired by the federal interior secretary, assisted by the federal law secretary and the chief of the CPLC. The Authority is proposed to be formed with the liaison between the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Central Board of Revenue, Provincial Excise and Taxation (Motor vehicle Registration Wing) and Home Department. It reportedly already enjoys the support of insurance companies, car manufacturers and the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association. ---------------------------------- Over 12 hurt as bomb hurled at university bus, varsity closed HYDERABAD: Seven teachers and students were injured on Tuesday when a locally-made bomb was hurled at a staff bus of the University of Sindh, Jamhoro by unknown motorcyclists near Taluka Hospital, Kotri. Following the incident, the scheduled examinations of all the classes have been put off and the university was closed for one week by the authorities. The bus was attacked when it was proceeding towards Sindh University, Jamshoro at about 8 am. As the bus, carrying students, teachers and professors and girl students, reached near Taluka Hospital, Kotri some unidentified persons hurled a bomb at the bus resulting in multiple injuries to over one dozen people. Professor Manzoor Memon, Librarian Mirza Mashooq, Computer Operator Sohail Mirza and Professor Mehmood Shah Bukhari including other three girls students were rushed to the Liaquat Medical College Hospital (LMCH) city branch while the other injured were taken to the Bhittai Hospital Latifabad and Kotri Taluka Hospital. According to doctors, the device was a crude bomb. Commissioner Hyderabad Shafiq Ahmed Khoso, DIG Hyderabad Division Mushtaq Shah, Principal LMCH Jamshoro Jan Mohammad Memon and Director General Health Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi reached the hospital and held a meeting regarding the incident. Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi, who is also holding the charge of Medical Superintendent, termed the condition of all the injured persons as stable. Amid uncertainty and extremely tight security arrangements, the scheduled examinations of Sindh University Jamshoro had started here on Monday. Although the number of appearing students was less than those enrolled, all attempts of the Students Action Committee, which had announced boycott of the examination, were foiled. On late Sunday night, police conducted raids at Taraqqi Pasand House of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party (STPP) and Media Centre of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz (JSQM) for the arrest of wanted student leaders, but no one was taken into custody by the police. At all entry points of the university, heavy contingent of Rangers was deployed and armed police and Rangers personnel were patrolling, keeping watch on the students. A couple of students, said to be the activists of various student organisations, attempted to stop the candidates from sitting in the examination hall, but the candidates refused. The civil administration, with the help of rangers, had closed the two entry points out of three to counter any untoward incident and the examination was held in a peaceful manner. Under the renewed contingency plan, all the point buses going to and from the university would be escorted by police and rangers. ---------------------------------- TJP chief faces no-trust, Shoora formed PESHAWAR: Challenging the authority of Tehrik-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP) chief Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi, several Shia leaders and organisations have announced the formation of Shoora Wahdat-e-Islami, a supreme body of Shia organisations including the TJP. "All other organisations of the Shia community in Pakistan, including the TJP, will become subordinate to this shoora", said Senator Syed Jawad Hadi. He was addressing a press conference here on Tuesday. Senator Abid Hussain Al Hussaini, members of the TJP supreme council Allama Haider Ali Jawadi of Sindh, Allama Agha Jumma Asadi of Balochistan, ISO central chief Jawad Naqvi and Imamia Organisation (IO) chief Sarfaraz Hussaini were also present on the occasion. He said that the first meeting of the shoora was scheduled to be held in Islamabad on August 13, where an interim set-up will be announced formally followed by its convention at Meenar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, on October 25. The Shia leaders were talking to the journalists at the end of the 10th death anniversary of the former TNFJ chief late Allama Syed Arif Hussian Al Hussaini at a religious school, named after the deceased Shia leader, in Peshawar on Tuesday. Senator Jawad claimed that the two-day moot expressed no-confidence in Sajid Naqvi and decided to form the Shoora. The pro-Naqvi camp in TJP, however, termed the formation of the Shoora as illegal and called it a separate entity from their fold (Naqvi-led TJP). "Only the Tehrik's central council can decide about affiliating the TJP with the Shoora," explained the TJP central vice president Anwar Ali Akhunzada. In a press statement he said the Tehrik members have a right to get affiliated with an organisation, but it will be in their individual capacity. TJP as a party is not bound to honour the commitments of its members, Akhunzada added. He further said the idea of Shoora was rejected by a meeting of the TJP central council in Multan which also expressed its confidence in the leadership of TJP chief Sajid Naqvi. Sources in the TJP told The News that most of the provinces and the Tehrik's supreme council influential members were not in favour of the formation of the Shoora. They explained that the Shoora was founded to avoid an expected split in the TJP due to Sajid Naqvi's wrong policies. "Had Shoora not been formed, there would have been a split in the TJP," believed the sources, requesting not to be named. Jawad Hadi said the moot at Madrassa Arif Hussaini was attended by the representatives of different organisations of Shias. These organisations, he added, included TJP, Ulema-e-Pakistan, Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), Imamia Organisation (IO), Asgharia Students Organisation and Asghari Students Organisation, Sindh, etc. The gathering in Peshawar, Hadi said, was unanimous on the formation of the Shoora which will comprise central shoora and general council, with representation of all the lower organisations in the two bodies. To a question, the rebel TJP leader said there exists constitutional hurdles in removing Sajid Naqvi and the same will be corrected from the Shoora platform. He demanded that all the legal requirements should be fulfilled in Mehram Ali case. Mehram Ali is convicted in the Lahore sessions court blast case ----------------------------------