KARACHI / ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain appealed to the army top brass on Sunday to take notice of what he called “state oppression” against workers of his party and innocent people and act to preserve national solidarity and integrity.

Addressing a press conference from London by phone, he said he was justified in directly addressing the chief of the army staff and the director general of Inter-Services Intelligence because the treatment being meted out to Mohajirs by the democratic government was worse than what they had suffered at the hands of a dictatorial regime.

“We are being treated in an undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal manner so our seeking justice from the armed forces should not be called undemocratic,” he said.

The press conference had been scheduled to announce a course of action against the backdrop of the arrest of MQM worker Fahad Aziz just before his wedding ceremony. Fahad was later released on a personal bond.

Mr Hussain said the law-enforcement agencies were involved in extrajudicial killings of MQM workers and urged army chief Gen Raheel Sharif to order an investigation and determine at whose behest the Rangers were killing his workers in custody.

He said no-one had taken notice of the arrest of Fahad Aziz and the killing of another MQM worker, Mohammad Salman.

“We have worked hard to remove misgivings between us and the army and as a result we started directly addressing our complaints to law-enforcement agencies. But the army is now being used against the Mohajirs.”

Mr Hussain said creating a gulf between the army and the Mohajir community was not in the interest of the country. “We are not agents of India, Britain or the United States...we are agents only of Pakistan.”

He wondered how police illegally arrested MQM workers and killed them without the patronage of the PPP’s provincial government.He complained that former president Asif Ali Zardari had not taken notice of MQM’s complaints.

He said that despite MQM’s request, a monitoring committee for the operation against criminals had not been formed by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan because of opposition by the Sindh government.

He also called upon Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to take notice of extrajudicial killings in Karachi.

Replying to a question he said the MQM would oppose the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance.

He also criticised Karachi police chief Shahid Hayat.

Earlier, the MQM called for action against top officials of Karachi police.

Talking to reporters after visiting Fahad Aziz in a hospital, MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui termed police the ‘biggest extortionist in the city’ and alleged that they got Rs220 million in extortion from people. He accused police of picking up youths and releasing them after receiving bribe from their families.

He appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the army chief to take notice of the police excesses.

Meanwhile, four policemen were suspended for detaining and allegedly torturing the MQM worker.

“The IG police, taking notice of alleged torture of Fahad Aziz, detained on Saturday, has suspended the policemen and appointed the DIG, East, as inquiry officer,” a spokesperson said.

Fahad Aziz was reportedly taken away by law-enforcement personnel when his ‘Baraat’ was going to Shah Faisal Colony.

After the detention, relatives of the bridegroom protested outside the local police station and then at the Karachi Press Club.

Police claimed that Fahad had been arrested on secret information about his involvement in murder of policemen and other cases.

He was kept at the Iqbal Market police station in Orangi Town where the relatives and local people demonstrated along with MQM MPA Saifuddin Khalid. SHO Tasdeeq Sheikh said the protesters were from the area of the bride but the police station had nothing to do with the arrest or alleged torture.

Fahad was admitted to a hospital in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad called Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and discussed the ongoing operations against outlaws and criminals in Karachi.

According to sources, the minister assured him that allegations of torture of MQM workers would be investigated.