Missing MQM members fled to India, police tells SHC

KARACHI - Sindh police made a shocking disclosure before a Sindh High Court bench on Thursday that the so-called ‘missing’ MQM workers were not, in fact, missing but had fled to India and other countries.

SSP Investigation-East Zulfiqar Meher during the hearing claimed that the workers in question had fled abroad to evade probable arrest.

“Syed Ameer Ahmed Nizami and Irshad fled in fear of getting arrested,” SSP Meher told the court.

To this, Justice Shafi Siddiqui of SHC, observed that those who escaped had criminal records.

'They must have presented [concrete] reasons in order to be granted refuge [in those countries],' Justice Shafi Siddique remarked.

SSP Meher responded that MQM workers already have an Indian network at their disposal and so [these workers] don’t need to submit any special application as a result.

The court inquired if the airports or immigration officials would have the records of these workers besides demanding that the Interior Ministry, IG Sindh and DG Rangers submit complete records in two weeks.

Among the ‘missing’ MQM workers are Ayub Shah, Haroon Ahmed, Sohail Ghauri and Zahid.