LAHORE, Apr 11: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer and MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmad has harshly condemned the setting ablaze of the offices of a national daily in Karachi allegedly by MQM hooligans and life threats to its journalists and other staff.

In a statement on Friday, Qazi demanded the rulers to take immediate notice of the threats to journalists and ensure security of their lives and properties, warning that if something happened to those journalists its responsibility would be laid upon MQM and the provincial government.

Qazi said MQM had resorted to fascist tactics against media after seeing its unveiled face in the mirror of truth. He alleged that MQM had held hostage the city of Karachi for two decades and expressed sorrow that new government was encouraging the fascist group in order to make it a coalition partner in provincial set up.

Qazi asked the PPP that instead of making MQM its coalition partner, it should hold impartial inquiry into incidents of May 12, Dec 18 and April 9, and to bring the culprits to book. He said the new government was talking of liberating media and abolishing Pemra ordinance but the most important question is that who would provide protection to Karachi journalists.

Meanwhile, commenting on the announcement by MQM chief Altaf Hussain regarding stepping down as party head, Qazi Hussain Ahmad termed it a drama which Altaf Hussain staged several times in the past but never implemented any of his such declarations. Qazi said it was just a cover up from Altaf Hussain on the ignominious incidents of April 9, adding that if inquiry was held into the May 12 incidents the events of April would not have happened. He said Altaf Hussain's announcement was aimed at increasing his bargaining power for joining government and demanding desired ministries, since MQM could not exist without being part of the government.

 
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