KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday evening announced that a ‘peaceful day of mourning’ would be observed across Pakistan on Sunday to denounce what it claims killing of a party worker in police custody.

According to a DawnNews report, the decision was taken at an ‘emergency’ meeting of the party’s Rabita Committee, which has also been endorsed by MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

Soon after the reports of the strike on local media, shops and businesses reportedly started to shut in different neighbourhoods of Karachi.

The Rabita Committee meeting strongly condemned “worst form of torture on party worker Faraz Alam in police custody”. The meeting also condemned the targeted killing of another MQM activist Nadeem Ahmed by the terrorists of banned outfits on Thursday.

The party appealed to shop owners and traders to keep their businesses shut on Sunday to protest against police atrocities.

Also read: Banned outfits targeting MQM activists in Karachi: Rizvi

Speaking to media representatives earlier, MQM’s senior leader Haider Abbas Rizvi also claimed that Faraz Alam was booked in a fabricated case and tortured by police.

He said torture marks were visible on Alam’s body and alleged that ongoing operation by Rangers and police in the city was aimed at the MQM.