DAWN / NEWS International, Karachi 25 March 1998 Wednesday 25 Ziqa'ad 1418 PM to talk to Altaf on 'no-go' areas issue ISLAMABAD, March 24: The federal government is facing difficulties in evolving a strategy for eliminating "no-go" areas without resorting to the option of use of force and has decided to contact MQM chief Altaf Hussain on the issue. Official sources told Dawn on Tuesday that the government could not so far chalk out a plan for eliminating the "no-go" areas to the satisfaction of its ally - Muttahida Qaumi Movement. The matter has been deferred till Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns from Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Mr Sharif, after his return, is expected to talk to Mr Hussain on telephone on the issue. A ministerial source said that the demands of the MQM were tough and there did not appear any tangible solution until the prime minister discussed the issue with Mr Hussain directly. Sources said that Sindh Chief Minister Liaquat Jatoi had a detailed meeting with Minister for Petroleum and Provincial Coordination Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday who left for Karachi without arriving at any decision of the issue of "no-go" areas. The meeting noted that without resorting to the use of force which could result in bloodshed, it was almost impossible to remove the "no-go" areas in Karachi and that it was not easy to accept the demands of the MQM in this regard. It was said that the prime minister may accept the MQM's demand for compensations. But, the Sindh chief minister was told not to commit on anything, including the removal of "no-go" areas, without consulting the Centre. Sources said that the Sindh chief minister had met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday and discussed with him the latest spate of violence in Karachi. Chaudhry Nisar was also present on the occasion. The meeting could not arrive at any consensus as how to deal with the issue of "no-go" areas. Mr Sharif reportedly directed the chief minister to meet all the parties and groups in Karachi before dealing with the issue. However, the matter has been deferred till the return of Mr Sharif from Saudi Arabia. Sources said that no guarantee was given by the government team during the discussions with MQM leaders with regard to the elimination of "no-go" areas. ---------------------------------- 20 killed in Karachi violence KARACHI: Twenty people, including leaders and activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Mohajir Qaumi Movement, were shot dead in various parts of the city on Monday and Tuesday. In reaction to the killings, unidentified miscreants set ablaze 16 vehicles. Both parties claimed that most of the deceased were their activists. Eyewitnesses alleged the police and the law-enforcement agencies remained silent spectators to the two-day violence. Heavy firing was going on in all the affected areas, including Landhi, Malir, Khokrapar, Shah Faisal Colony, Saudabad, Malir Extension and parts of Korangi at the time of our going to the press. Intermittent gunshots were also heard in Liaquatabad, Lines Area and Khudadad Colony. The first incident, which triggered the violence, took place at about 5:35 pm on Monday when five unidentified persons came in a Datsun car to the office of a construction company near Liaquat Market, Saudabad, owned by Imtiaz Ahmed alias Koti, a member of Central Committee of Mohajir Qaumi Movement. Three gunmen, wearing Burqa, came out of the car and opened indiscriminate fire on the people sitting outside the office. As a result, Koti and two Mohajir Qaumi Movement leaders of the Elders Committee -- Abdul Rasheed, 46, and Saeedur Rehman, 40, -- died on the spot. In this connection, the police have registered a case against Federal Minister for Industries Khalid Maqbool and Senator Aftab Shaikh of Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Later, at about 8:00 pm, unidentified gunmen barged into the residence of Imtiaz Koti's mother, near Dakhana area of Malir City, and started firing on the people gathered there. As a result, Koti's cousins Imran-ul-Haq and Sultan-ul-Haq died on the spot. In another incident, three sons of Muhammad Ashraf, a relative of Sindh Minister Arif Siddiqi (Haq Parast), were gunned down within the jurisdiction of Shah Faisal Colony Police Station. Unidentified assailants barged into Ashraf's house in Shah Faisal Colony and opened fire on Muhammad Moin, 10, Muhammad Nasir, 16, and Muhammad Tahir, 18, who died on the spot. The assailants later fled on their motorbikes. The police have registered a case on the complaint of Muhammad Siddiq, brother of the deceased against Mohajir Qaumi Movement activists Nabi Akhtar, Hamid alias Piya and Akhter Hussain. Following the incident, violence erupted in several parts of District East, including Al-Falah and Shah Faisal Colony. In another incident, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a moving vehicle and killed Muhammad Jehangir near Malir Dakhana, within the jurisdiction of Khokrapar. The gunmen later fled. Two more persons were gunned down in Liaquatabad. Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist Muhammad Ismail, 48, an activist of Muttehidda Qaumi Movement, was shot dead while he was sitting at his Dubboo Shop, in Eight Commercial Area, Liaquatabad. Nadeem Siddiq, 25, was shot dead behind Cafe Millat within the jurisdiction of Liaquatabad Police Station. Another victim identified as Muhammad Arif, 16,was gunned down within the jurisdiction of Korangi Police Station while he was on his way back home. The gunmen killed him near Khadda Market, Korangi No 5. Muhammad Sohail, a 20-year-old student of Jinnah College, was found dead in J Area of Sector 45-A, Zaman Town, within the jurisdiction of the Korangi Police Station. The police shifted the body to the JPMC, where a college card was found in his pocket, identifying him as Muhammad Sohail. His hands and legs were tied with a piece of rope, and he was shot to death. The Ibrahim Haidery police found a bullet-riddled body from a spot within their precincts. Police sources said that they were informed by area residents that a body was lying in the ground near 100 Quarters area of Sector 50-C, Korangi. A police team rushed to the spot and found the body in a gunny bag with his hands and legs tied. The corpse was shifted to the JPMC, where it was identified as that of Ibrahim Ahmed, a resident of Wali Akbar Shah Road. In another incident, unidentified gunmen shot dead Muhammad Tariq near Charagh Hotel, Landhi, while they were resorting to random firing in the locality. Jameel Ahmed, 55, was gunned down outside his residence in Nazeer Town, within the Khokrapar police precincts. The assailants fled after killing him. Unidentified armed men fired at Shaukat in Model Colony, and seriously wounded him. He was rushed to the JPMC, where he was declared dead on arrival. Unidentified snipers gunned down Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist Ehteshamuddin within the jurisdiction of Saudabad Police Station. An unidentified body was found from a spot near Ramzan blockmaker shop in Saudabad area on Tuesday morning. The body was shifted to the JPMC, where it was identified as that of Riyasat Hussain, 35. Police Sub-Inspector Shahid Turabi was shot dead within the jurisdiction of Ferozabad Police Station while he was going to some place on his motorbike (KAK-3333). Unidentified gunmen were creating panic in the area by resorting to aerial firing. On seeing the policeman going on his bike, the snipers fired at him, resulting in his instant death. His body was shifted to the JPMC. In other violence-related incidents, 16 vehicles were set ablaze in Khudadad Colony, Korangi, Malir, Saudabad, Landhi, Khokrapar, Numaish, Abbysinya Lines, Jet Lines, Cafe Students area, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, PIB Colony, New Town and Teen Hati area. The Muttehida Qaumi Movement claimed that the vehicle of the Sindh minister for Housing and Town Planning was snatched by miscreants while his personal assistant was driving it in the Lines Area. The vehicles which were set ablaze included a truck (BML-9006) in Landhi area; a government jeep (PG-0482) of ACM Faisal Uquailli in Ferozabad; another government vehicle (PG-9993) in Ferozabad; Suzuki high-roof (CJ-2075) in Lines Area; a car (ABD-417) near Cafe Students; a motorbike (KCZ-461) near Wireless Gate area in Shah Faisal Colony; a Suzuki Margella in Jet Lines Area; a Suzuki vehicle (R-1163) of Yasin in New Town; a car in PIB Colony; and another in Teen Hati area. The fire brigade staff confirmed that 10 vehicles were burnt and alleged that several more were burning in various city areas where the fire tenders could not reach due to non-cooperation of the police. Five people, including three policemen, sustained wounds in different firing incidents in the city and were hospitalised. The injured were identified as Niaz of Nazimabad police, cops Abdul Jabber and Basher Ahmed, a man and a woman in Korangi and Korangi Industrial Area. Armed youth were roaming in the affected areas and tension was mounting in these areas. As killings were taking place in scattered areas of the city, the law-enforcement agencies and the police were just patrolling. It was not reported by any source that raids were being conducted in the affected areas. According to observers, the law-enforcement agencies were least bothered about the lawlessness in the city. They remained silent spectators in the two-day violence, they added. When The News contacted senior police officials to get information about the preventive measures taken by them, they were not available. The News repeatedly contacted DIG Karachi Police Range Ejaz Akram and SSP East Ramzan Channa, but both were not available. In a message faxed to The News office, the Muttehidda Qaumi Movement claimed that the deceased of Shah Faisal Colony and Liaquatabad were laid to rest at Azizabad Graveyard. The collective Namaz-e-Janaza was offered at Jinnah Ground, Azizabad. Most of the bodies were taken to Sindh Heart Hospital as the area residents did not allow the Edhi ambulances to take them to the JPMC for autopsy. They were demanding the medico-legal officer to come to their residences to conduct autopsies. ---------------------------------- Muttehida's nation-wide mourning today KARACHI: The Muttehida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has given call for a nation-wide day of mourning on Wednesday (today) to express grief over the killing of its workers and their relatives, and sympathise with their families. The self-exiled MQM chief, Altaf Hussain, endorsed the decision of the party's coordination committee to observe mourning on Wednesday over the killing of 11 Muttehida workers and their relatives. In a statement issued from London, Altaf requested the people from all walks of life to foil the conspiracy against the peace of Karachi and Sindh by remaining peaceful on Wednesday and asked for a voluntary cessation of all business and trade activities. The MQM chief also made appeal to all businessmen and trade union organisations to voluntarily cease their activities on Wednesday to mourn the killings in the city. He warned both President Rafiq Tarar and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to refrain from testing the MQM's patience and arrest the killers. He alleged that the government agencies were directly involved in the killings, which were aimed at aborting the government's expected initiative to abolish the 'no go areas' in Karachi. Meanwhile, Deputy Convener of the MQM's Coordination Committee Senator Aftab Shaikh told a press conference on Tuesday at the party's head office '90', that the party had demanded of the president and the prime minister to arrest the terrorists, who had killed innocent people in the city and stop the government agencies from patronising Haqiqi. "Appropriate compensation be paid to the heirs of those who were killed in the 'no go areas'," he added. Aftab alleged that the slaying of MQM people was a message to the government that elimination of 'no go areas' would not be an easy task. "It was also indicated to the prime minister, the chief minister and hundreds of thousands Karachiites that if anyone tried to invalidate 'no go areas' or even thought of doing so, then each home would see a dead body," he maintained. Aftab said that three of Haqiqi's workers were gunned down by their own colleagues as none of the MQM workers could enter into those 'no go areas' long before the 1997 elections. ---------------------------------- Violence to sabotage action on 'no-go' areas: Altaf KARACHI, March 24: The chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, said on Tuesday that the deaths of so many people in the city and the violence that followed in several parts was part of "deliberate thought-out" plan by the government's intelligence agencies to sabotage any possible action that might be taken to clear the so-called 'no-go' areas. In a statement faxed from London, Mr Hussain alleged that the intelligence agencies were "directly" involved in the "murder and mayhem" that took place in Karachi on March 23. He alleged that the agencies had now reached a point where they were bent on challenging the authority of the government. Mr Hussain strongly criticized the deaths of "more than 10" relatives of his party workers (who he said were in hiding) and said it was highly regrettable that an impression was being given as if this was the result of fighting between "two groups". The MQM chief also said the [alleged] incident during which bodies of MQM workers were taken away at gunpoint by members of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement was most unfortunate since it happened in the presence of the local administration, police and law-enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, the party's coordination committee held an emergency meeting to discus the situation emerging after Monday's violence. The coordination committee came to the conclusion that the government's intelligence agencies were "fully supporting" the Mohajir Qaumi Movement led by Afaq Ahmed. BURIED: Three workers and one party sympathizer or the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were buried at the Azizabad graveyard. Three brothers of party worker Mohammed Farooq (Shah Faisal Unit 10), 21-year-old Mohammed Tahir, 18-year-old Mohammed Nasir and 11-year-old Mohammed Moeen, were laid to rest after their funeral prayers were held at Jinnah Ground opposite Nine Zero, the party's headquarters in Azizabad. Federal minister for industries and production Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, senior Sindh minister Farooq Sattar, several MNAs, MPAs and senators attended the funeral. Party sympathizer Mohammed Ismail was laid to rest too at the Azizabad graveyard. A party statement from Hyderabad said that ghaibana funeral prayers were held for the deaths of MQM workers, sympathizers and relatives of workers in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Sanghar and other towns in interior Sindh. KILLED: Apart from the four persons mentioned above, the MQM said 15-year-old Imranul Haq, brother of party worker Sohail; 20-year-old Zeeshan, brother of party worker Rehman; 30-year-old worker Shaukat; 45-year-old Mohammed Jamil, father of APMSO worker Akbar; 30-year-old Riyasat, a party sympathizer; 33-year-old Ehteshamuddin, brother of party worker Rehan and Jehangir "who left the Mohajir Qaumi Movement 2 years ago" were killed during Monday's violence. ---------------------------------- MQM(Afaq) leader, other workers buried KARACHI, March 24: The funeral prayers for senior Mohajir Qaumi Movement leader Imtiaz Ahmed Khan were held at the Eidgah ground of Mohammedi Masjid in Malir. Party chairman Afaq Ahmed, vice-chairman Badar Iqbal and other senior officials took part in the prayers. A party statement said when the dead bodies were lifted for their burial in a nearby graveyard, people mourning there started chanting that the "blood" of those who had been killed had not gone in "vain" and would bring about a "revolution". People present were wearing black arm bands as a mark of protest. Saeedur Rahman who died in the attack on Imtiaz Ahmed Khan's office was buried in the Moeenabad graveyard and "Imran and Zeeshan" were buried in the Khokhrapar graveyard. Tariq was buried in a graveyard in Landhi and Mohammed Sohail was buried in Korangi. ---------------------------------- SI shot dead by bandits KARACHI: Bandits killed a Sub-Inspector (SI) and injured a young man in two different robbery incidents on Tuesday. Besides, armed men looted over Rs 0.8 million, gold ornaments, electrical appliances and snatched 20 vehicles. Two armed men intercepted a motorcycle (KAK-3333) near Rehmat-e-Shireen sweets shop at Tariq Road in Ferozabad police jurisdiction and asked the SI Shahid Torabi, 30, to hand over his vehicle. When he resisted, bandits opened fire on him and fled along with his motorcycle leaving him injured. Area people took him to JPMC where at operation table he succumbed to his wounds. Bandits intercepted a motorcycle (KCC-6166) at Baloch Colony Bridge in Tipu Sultan police limits and ordered Arif, 28, to hand over his vehicle. When he resisted, they opened fire on him and fled along with his motorcycle. Bandits looted Rs 500,000 from Jamshed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar; Rs 200,000 from Asif Ahmed in Saddar; Rs 55,000, jewellery and valuables from the house of Haroon Bukhsh in Baloch Colony; Rs 150,000, gold ornaments, saving certificates and electrical appliances from the residence of Waseem and Rs 28,000 and computers from the residence of Sanaullah in Buffer Zone. ---------------------------------- Blasts rock three Sindh cities: one killed LARKANA: A man was killed when a bomb exploded near Deputy Commissioner's office in front of the District & Sessions Court, Larkana, on Tuesday. The officials of civil administration, police and law-enforcement agencies reached the scene of the incident and the body of the blast victim was removed to the CMC Hospital. Meanwhile, two bombs went off in Nawabshah and Sukkur on Tuesday, spreading panic in both the cities. According to reports, the deceased, Haji Lal Dino Mugheri, 50, had come here with his relatives for the hearing of a case by the Circuit Bench Larkana of the Sindh High Court. He was waiting for his call when a bomb exploded. It is suspected that the bomb buried in the sand. It has not yet been ascertained whether this incident was a terrorist act or due to a personnel enmity by someone who wanted to kill Haji Lal Dino Meghari. Eyewitnesses said that a cloud of dust and smoke was seen after the blast and the the leaves of a nearby tree were burnt. Commissioner Larkana Division Ghulam Abid Shaikh, DIG Police, Larkana, Mohammad Sachal Sangri, Deputy Commissioner, Larkana, Iqbal Ahmed Bablani, SSP Larkana, Mohammad Tahir Naved, MPA Altaf Hussain Unnar and other officials visited the blast site. The Civil Lines Police, Larkana, have started investigation in this regard. The District Magistrate, Larkana, Iqbal Ahmed Bablani has issued the following press note on the incident on Tuesday evening: "Today i.e. 24th March, 1998, an incident of blast occurred at about 11:15 am in the lawns, between the Collectorate and the Sessions Court buildings in Larkana, in the jurisdiction of Civil Lines police station in which Haji Lal Dino Mugheri, 50, died on the spot. The investigation has been initiated by the District Police, Larkana, under the supervision of senior officers. No more casualties or any sort of damage to any building in the premises have been reported except that some glass pieces of a Sessions Court building's ventilators were found." Meanwhile, two bombs went off in Nawabshah and Sukkur on Tuesday, spreading panic in both the cities. In the first incident, a busy Nawabshah commercial area was rocked when a bomb exploded in the upper storey of a boarding house ('Musafir Khana') causing heavy cracks in the building at about 12.25 pm. No one was killed or injured. The building, at the time of the blast, was vacant except for three labourers, present in the building who were white-washing its rooms. Both of the labourers remained unhurt. The labourers Asghar Ali and Azfar Ali stated that they were busy in white-washing when the blast occurred, spreading dust all over the place, and they ran to save their lives. Police sources said it was a powerful device but due to the open space it could not cause much damage. According to a press note, issued by the District Magistrate: "The busy commercial area was rocked when a bomb exploded in the upper storey of a boarding house (Musafir Khana) causing heavy cracks in the building at about 12.25 hours on Tuesday. No one was killed or injured due to the blast. The building at the time of blast was vacant but three labourers were white washing its rooms who remained unhurt. The Municipal authorities, after inspecting the building, declared it dangerous for residential purpose." SSP Ahsanullah Gondal said, "We are awaiting report of the bomb disposal squad." He said security had been tightened and other boarding and lodging houses were also being checked. The owner of boarding house stated that two persons stayed in a room the previous night but at the time of the blast no person, except for the labourers, was present in the building. In the third incident which occurred in Sukkur, one teenager boy was injured when a bomb exploded in an abandoned plot near Salehpat bus stand on Tuesday afternoon. The injured was identified as Ghulam Abbas. The District Magistrate's press note said that a small intensity time device exploded at an abandoned plot at 3.40 pm. A young boy Ghulam Abbas sustained minor injuries. The whole area was immediately cordoned off and strict snap checking was ordered. ---------------------------------- Clashes in Hangu claim 16 more lives PESHAWAR, March 24: Tense calm prevailed in Hangu town and other trouble-hit areas on Tuesday after 15 more people were killed and several others injured in armed clashes at Shahukhel village, some 18km away from Hangu, late Sunday night and Monday morning. In Saidano Banda village, a college student was gunned down Monday night, raising the toll to 31 since the onset of the sectarian frenzy four days ago in Hangu district. Although the district administration had managed to strike a ceasefire accord between the two warring sides of Hangu district, an armed lashkar of tribals from the adjacent Orakzai and Khyber agencies had attacked the Shahukhel village. Talking to Dawn over telephone, sources from Shahukhel said the attackers used the locally made anti-aircraft guns, missiles, rocket launchers and other heavy weapons. As a result, the entire village was burnt down to ashes, leaving 15 people dead. They were identified as Tahir Hussain son of Abdul Ali, Habibullah son of Hamidullah, Haji Gul Daar, Awan Ali son of Zaamin Ali, Naaid Ali son of Haider Ali, Yasin Ali son of Zaamin Ali (aged 2), Wawaani Khan, Ism-i-Ali, two daughters of Aman Ali and Ishrat Begum wife of Rahim Ali. The names of four other women killed were not available. People from the area who visited Peshawar on Tuesday told Dawn that some eight other people of the village were still missing. About 11 injured in Shahukhel were brought to the district headquarters hospital at Hangu, a staff member of the hospital told Dawn over telephone. He said during the four-day violence, the hospital had received 10 bodies, all belonging to Hangu town or villages on its outskirts. While 54 injured persons have also reported to the hospital. A young man, Khalid Orakzai, was killed in the Saidano Banda area on the outskirts of Hangu Monday night. His body was brought to the hospital Tuesday morning. The NWFP chief secretary and secretary of the home and tribal affairs department and high-ranking officials of district Hangu held several meetings with the leaders of the two warring sects on Monday. As a result of these peace talks, the two sides agreed to withdraw their armed men from their positions. Following their retreat from army personnel took positions there at all strategic points. The chief secretary held a meeting with Haji Khan Afzal, a Sunni leader and a group of ulema, Monday noon during which they agreed to ceasefire. Similar undertaking was obtained from Shia leaders. The situation remained under army's control on Tuesday. It may be noted that the army has taken over the security of the district since Saturday last soon after the clashes. There was a three-hour let up in the curfew at Hangu on Tuesday, from 9:00am to 11:00am during which people were allowed to purchase essential commodities. Meanwhile, the lashkar from the Orakzai agency and Teerah valley of Khyber agency which had attacked the Shahukhel village has also agreed to cease fire, sources said. A Sunni leader from Hangu town told this correspondent that the lashkar held jirgas at Meer Bakkay area of Hangu district on Monday and Tuesday and resolved to remain peaceful. According to a one-paragraph official handout issued by the district administration on Tuesday, the first during the four-day violence, the armed members of the lashkars gathered at different places had started leaving for their respective areas. Meanwhile, the NWFP chief minister and governor visited Hangu and other trouble-hit areas on Tuesday. ---------------------------------- MULTAN: Sectarian tension grips Khanewal village MULTAN, March 24: Tension prevailed in Chak 91-10-R (Khanewal) since Monday where law enforcing agencies are patrolling the area to avert any clash between the Muslims and Qadianis. Police have arrested 30 Qadianis and 17 Muslims as a preventive measure under sections 107/151 PPC. Chak 91/10-R is a thickly populated area dominated by the Qadianis. The tension rosewhen a schoolteacher, Fateh Muhammad, and his relative got allotted some plots under a seven-marla housing scheme in the village and constructed their homes and a dispensary for the benefit of village Muslims. A group of Noor Ahmed Qadiani, who is also a nominated accused in the Shantinagar village attack, (a Christain locality which was attacked by Muslims on religius gropuds last year) wanted to grab the land. On Monday, he and his two dozen accomplices raided Fateh Muhammad's homes and damaged property besides burning the dispensary and its record. As the report reached police, it arrested 30 Qadianis. In the meantime, Muslims of neighbouring villages tried to attack the Qadiani village but police foiled their attempt and arrested 17 people. ---------------------------------- Punjab requests for postponement of LB polls MULTAN: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced that Punjab was approaching the authorities for the postponement of Local Bodies elections, scheduled for May 2, 1998. Shahbaz said, "We will take up the matter with Punjab election authority for postponement of LB polls date till Moharram 10." Over the announcement of already delayed schedule for the elections, he said, it was due to the Haj season and the reason behind it, was that those who had gone to perform Haj would come back to take part in the elections of primary institutions. This he said while addressing a press conference at the local circuit house on Tuesday. ----------------------------------