Senior Pak police official suspended for arresting MQM leader

A senior Pakistani police official was today suspended for using undue force during the arrest of a senior MQM functionary and leader of opposition in the Sindh assembly here.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah ordered an inquiry into the episode and suspended SSP Rao Anwar and DIG East Kamran Fazal after the dramatic arrest of senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan from his residence.
In visuals shown on all television channels, SSP Rao was seen forcibly handcuffing the opposition leader and dragging him away to the police van despite pleas from his family members including women and senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar.

The visuals caused an uproar with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif calling up Sindh Chief Minister Shah to find out what had caused the incident.
The Sindh CM immediately issued orders for the suspension of SSP Rao, a top anti-terror official, who is accused of having close links with the leadership of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its former President Asif Zardari.
But Anwar, who has remained in the news also for his numerous encounters and gunning down of suspected militants on the outskirts of Karachi, was defiant in the face of his suspension.

"I have arrested Khawaja Izhar under proper law and regulations. He was arrested for his involvement in the May 12 incidents and there were other MQM leaders involved as well," Anwar told the media.

"I have been suspended unjustifiably as this is not the way the law works. I have done nothing wrong," he said.
The senior police official who in the past has also got into trouble with his open accusations against MQM leaders of ordering target killings warned that if action was not taken against MQM there would be more bloodshed in Karachi.
The opposition leader was later transferred from the custody of Anwar at Malir police station and taken to the central police headquarters from where he was eventually released in the evening.
The MQM, Karachi's biggest political party, is facing a crackdown after its former self-exiled leader Altaf Hussain in London delivered an anti-Pakistan speech and asked his workers to launch attack on media.

Dozens of MQM offices have been sealed as part of a campaign against encroachment of government's land.
Farooq Sattar who was pushed around as well despite just recovering from a road accident with his arm in a sling later told media that suspension of SSP Rao was not enough and the MQM wanted to know who was running the provincial affairs, the Sindh government or Zardari in Dubai.
"Rao Anwar must be sacked from his job. We will accept nothing less or hold protests," he added.