KARACHI - Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has demanded the government to arrest the killers of Tahira Asif in three days.
“We will establish link to this murder and killings of our workers to June 19, 1992 because Mian Nawaz Sharif was in power at that time too.”
In a press release issued here on Friday, he said: “Tahira Asif joined the politics in Punjab at the time when the political atmosphere was violent and repressive.
She joined the MQM and took active part in struggle against injustices. She received death threats and faced adversities but this did not frighten her and she struggled on with determination to complete her mission.
Terrorists have separated her from us but she will be with us spiritually. If they are thinking that they will frighten the MQM workers and supporters in Punjab then they should know that they cannot do that.”
“Twenty two years ago, a state operation was launched against the MQM. Scores of our workers were killed. Nawaz was the prime minister and his brother was the chief minister of Punjab when the operation was launched. Today, our sister Tahira Asif has been murdered and Nawaz Sharif is the Prime Minister,” he deplored.
He said the brutal killings in Lahore and the murder of MNA Tahira Asif indicated that killings had been committed to divert Army’s attention from the operation. Altaf said assassination attempts were made on her life and she received death threats. She repeatedly requested the police and the administration for providing security but they rebuffed her requests, he claimed.
Altaf said Tahira Asif’s sacrifice would not go in vain. She has earned affection and esteem of MQM workers and Pakistanis who believe in justice.
“Killings, terrorism and dirty tricks cannot intimidate us. I appeal to the workers to remain peaceful and stage their protests in peaceful way,” he added. He expressed heartfelt condolences with the members of the bereaved family.
Meanwhile, former president General Pervez Musharraf called MQM’s International Secretariat and expressed sympathies and condolences with the MQM chief over the martyrdom of Tahira Asif.
Musharraf said: “The brutal murder of an elected member of the National Assembly is barbarity. This brutal murder is highly condemnable.” Altaf thanked the former president for sympathies and condolences. He told the former president that MQM’s MPAs Haider Raza, Manzar Imam, Sajid Qureshi and his son were brutally murdered. He said the killings had failed to frighten MQM leaders, office-bearers and workers. He added that they had always confronted the difficult times with bravery and would carry on their struggle against injustices.
Moreover, ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed and PPP-Shaheed Bhutto chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto have condemned the killing of MQM MNA. Ghinwa in a statement said the assassination of Tahira had confirmed that there was no federal government exists in the country. She expressed condolences with the MQM leadership and the family of slain legislator.