Imran never speaks against Taliban: Qasim Raza

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Qasim Ali Raza On Tuesday claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan never speaks against the Taliban, who have claimed thousands of innocent lives in Pakistan.

Raza claimed that the MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain were the first to inform the nation of the menace of the Taliban and extremism.

Raza’s statements was the latest addition to a war of words that started between the two parties after the release of a Joint Interrogation Team (JIT) report implicating an MQM worker in the Baldia Town factory blaze – the worst incident of fire in Pakistan’s history in which more than 250 people lost their lives.

The MQM has termed the report “baseless, fictitious and biased”.
Following the release of the JIT report, PTI chairman Imran Khan had held a press conference in Islamabad where he made several references to Altaf Hussain using harsh words and derogatory language.

Khan continued his outburst against the MQM chief earlier today, also accusing the party of murdering slain PTI worker Zahra Shahid.

The MQM responded sharply, with the Rabita Committee taking the PTI chairman to task over his remarks against the MQM chief.

The temperature continued to rise on Tuesday as the MQM held a rally in Karachi to express solidarity with party chief Altaf Hussain and as protest of statements made against him by Imran Khan.