Pak's MQM seeks India's help over missing persons

MQM, which claims to represent the Urdu-speaking migrants from India, found itself in hot water today following reports that it has sought help from the Indian High Commission to safeguard human rights particularly in Karachi.
Pakistani media, which claimed to be in possession of one of the letters written by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and Senator Nasreen Jalil on June 18, said it was addressed to Indian High Commissioner T C A Raghavan.
To a query by PTI over the letter to the Indian High Commission, the press councillor said: "No Comments".
The letter highlighted the alleged "lawlessness of law enforcement agencies" and requested the High Commission to use its good offices "to improve the situation of urban Sindh".

"The targeted operation in Karachi was initiated to bring law and order in the city but since then, 40 MQM workers have been killed in custody, 90 party workers are missing while hundreds are killed in target killings," it said.
MQM, Karachi's single-largest party, also complains against the Sindh government for failing to set up committees to monitor the Karachi operation, launched in September 2013 to bring peace in the city of over 18 million.

Another letter written on July 30 and purportedly addressed to the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, narrates how MQM workers were arrested while going from Karachi to Hyderabad.

"We request your honour to kindly look into this matter and raise your voice for the safeguard and protection of human values/rights particularly in Karachi," it said.
MQM, which is already facing heat due to provocative speeches by its London-based chief Altaf Hussain, appeared divided over the veracity of the letter.
Senior party leader Farooq Sattar denied that MQM wrote to the Indian High Commission and said if such letter was sent then it was a "technical error."
Media reports said MQM wrote letters to at least 55 countries to highlight the alleged disappearances of its workers during the Karachi operation.