KARACHI, July 7: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement announced on Thursday that its lawmakers would stage a march on Friday from the Karachi Press Club to the Chief Minister’s House to express anger over armed attacks in Orangi Town, Qasba Colony and Gulfamabad.

The party also announced a day of mourning for the people killed in three days of violence.

Raza Haroon, MPA, told a press conference at ‘Nine Zero’ that the decision was taken by the MQM Rabita committees, which met in Karachi and London simultaneously.

He said MQM’s members of parliament would also attend rallies in Islamabad and other cities against failure of the government to provide protection of life and property to people of Karachi.

He said protests would also be lodged in the National Assembly, Senate and the Sindh Assembly. The MQM would requisition sessions of these houses soon, Mr Haroon added.

Police and Rangers had become silent spectators at the behest of the government, he alleged, adding that armed men were killing innocent people at will. He said the miscreants were firing from trenches they had dug on the hills overlooking Orangi.

Mr Haroon said armed men had now resorted to shooting on buses with automatic and modern weapons. They also burnt houses in different parts of the city, he added.

The MQM legislator said an impression was being created that the armed attacks were a clash between two groups. “The attacks are one-sided and blood is being shed of unarmed innocent people. We are being punished for parting ways with the government by instigating attacks on our settlements.”

But he gave an assurance to people of the affected areas that they should not consider themselves alone and said the MQM would protect them by all means, including lodging protests at every forum.

The MQM leader said his party was demonstrating patience for the sake of peace, but vowed not to surrender to terrorists. “Those who are taking our policy of peace, patience and tolerance as a weakness are living in a fool’s paradise”.

He said if the government did act soon, the MQM would give a call for a strike because thousands of people had been stranded in their areas.

Mr Haroon appealed to all political parties, particularly the opposition, to visit the violence-hit areas and raise their voice.

He also urged media and human rights organisations to inform people about ‘the real situation’.