Abbas Town carnage: MQM appeals for Karachi's indefinite shutter-down

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Wednesday made an earnest appeal to the business community, traders and transporters of Sindh, particularly those of Karachi to voluntarily keep their businesses closed for an indefinite period till the government nabs the perpetrators of Abbas Town carnage.

The appeal was made by the MQM leader Raza Haroon at a press conference held here at the party's headquarter, following the expiry of the three-day deadline given by MQM to the government to arrest the culprits behind Sunday's attack on a residential area in the city.

It may be mentioned here that a high-intensity bomb explosion at Abbas Town on Sunday killed 48 people including women and children and injured more than 140 others.

On Tuesday, the Coordination Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had held its meetings in London and Karachi to chalk out the party's strategy following the expiry of the deadline given by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain. Later, the party announced that it would make public its future line of action at a press conference on Wednesday.

Announcing the start of their 'peaceful democratic protest movement', MQM leader Raza Haroon said that three days had passed but no action had been taken against terrorists involved in the Abbas Town blast.

"We are seeing how people are being fooled by reports of fake arrests," he claimed.

Meanwhile, the All Karachi Traders Ittehad said that instead of calling a strike, MQM should stage sit-ins outside parliament and other government buildings.

Earlier today, unknown gunmen took to the Karachi's streets, terrorized the citizens by firing shots in the air and forced shops and businesses to pull their shutters.