KARACHI: An armed confrontation and violent clash at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P) headquarters in Bahadurabad has prompted a response from MQM Chairman Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who described the incident as the result of a misunderstanding among party workers.
In a statement, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said an unfortunate incident occurred on Friday due to a misunderstanding and verbal altercation between MQM workers. He added that the party leadership had reviewed the situation and that conditions were now improving.
The MQM-P Bahadurabad headquarters was subsequently closed after a dispute reportedly broke out between groups aligned with Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and senior party leader Mustafa Kamal. During the armed confrontation, a young party worker identified as Amir, reportedly from Liaquatabad, sustained a gunshot injury.
According to reports, a meeting chaired by the Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui group to discuss Independence Day celebrations was underway at the party headquarters when members of the Mustafa Kamal group, led by Anees Qaimkhani, arrived to hold a separate meeting.
The situation escalated after party administrators attempted to prevent their entry, leading to an exchange of gunfire and physical violence. During the scuffle, the clothes of senior MQM leader Ameen-ul-Haque were reportedly torn.
Read more: MQM headquarters sealed after armed clash between rival factions in Karachi
The altercation reportedly took place inside the Rabita Committee room, where chairs were thrown at one another. The disturbance also resulted in damage to the headquarters’ DVR surveillance system, with reports claiming that some workers took parts of the equipment with them.
Following the clash, the Bahadurabad headquarters was locked, while police and Rangers personnel remained deployed in the surrounding area to maintain order.
Sindh Assembly member Ijaz-ul-Haq alleged that Anees Qaimkhani slapped him during the confrontation. Meanwhile, Zakir Hussain was reportedly injured after being assaulted by MPA Farhan Ansari and others. According to the allegations, remarks were also made during the violence accusing some individuals of being “aligned with the London group.”