KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday announced it would observe a symbolic hunger strike outside the Karachi Press Club from February 19 to February 22 against the blanket ban on media coverage of party chief Altaf Hussain.
MQM leaders, workers and parliamentarians will join symbolic strike from 11am to 11pm. The hunger strike in Karachi is a follow up to similar strikes outside 10 Downing Street in London earlier this week. The ban on the media coverage of MQM chief’s speeches was imposed by the Lahore High Court in August 2015 and enforced by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The hunger strike was announced a day after MQM’s Coordination Committee advised Pakistanis to store food, fuel, and medicines because the “next 15 days were [going to be] very critical”. In July 2015, cases were registered against Hussain in parts of the country for his remarks against the security officials. It was maintained in the petition filed in the Lahore High Court in August last year that Hussain was violating Article 5 of the Constitution, which necessitated loyalty to the state. Since then, the MQM has been continuously raising its voice against the ban. In a related development, Hussain’s advice to the people of Karachi to store food and medicines for 15 days caused panic in the city and invited immediate reaction from the Sindh Rangers.
Hussain said in a statement on Wednesday that the next 15 days were critical because of an uncertain political situation and chances of natural calamities due to climate change. Hence, he said, people should be very careful and store food and medicines as a precautionary measure.
Later, the MQM coordination committee held a meeting to endorse party chief’s ‘appeal’. Panic gripped the city as soon as private news channels flashed MQM Coordination Committee’s statement. In an attempt to calm down the people, the Sindh Rangers said it had taken notice of an attempt by “some elements” to spread fear and panic in the city. “Law enforcement agencies are fully active across the city and stand alert for security of the people. The peaceful people of Karachi are requested to have faith in law enforcement agencies and immediately inform the Rangers of any suspicious activity at the helpline 1101 or contact the nearest Rangers centre,” the paramilitary force said in a statement.
