KARACHI: The police on late Tuesday reportedly arrested Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chairman Afaq Ahmed for making a “provocative statement” in the backdrop of rising traffic accidents, said well-placed sources.
Sources privy to the matter confirmed: “Afaq Ahmed arrested over provocative statement.”
Meanwhile, MQM-H spokesperson confirmed that Afaq was taken into custody from his residence in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA).
The authorities did not inform them about his whereabouts so far, the spokesperson added.
Addressing a press conference earlier today, MQM- Haqiqi chief claimed that the dumper trucks claimed 92 precious lives during a span of just 40 days in Karachi.
He lauded the Sindh government’s decision to ban the entry of heavy vehicles into the metropolis during the daytime.
Last week, the provincial government, in the backdrop of an alarming rise in causalities involving dumper trucks, imposed a ban on the entry of heavy vehicles into the port city during daytime. Dumpers would only be allowed to enter Karachi from 11pm to 6am, as per the fresh directives.
Angry mob set vehicles on fire due to traffic accidents at some places, including Landhi Town, he noted and urged the people not to ablaze the vehicle during their protests.
“People should protest but not burn vehicles,” the MQM-H chief said.
He advised the people to keep an eye on those who wanted to take advantage of the prevailing situation to fulfill their nefarious designs.
It is pertinent to mention here that the MQM-H chief directed “Muhajir” youth to bar entry to heavy traffic in Karachi from Tuesday (today).
“Being elder brother, I am ordering Muhajir youth that there should be no heavy traffic in the city from Tuesday,” he had said.
In the past two months alone, at least 100 people have died in traffic accidents in Karachi, with 72 fatalities in urban areas and 24 in the suburbs.
Among these, eight people lost their lives in four separate dumper-related accidents.
