Waseem Akhtar claims police fabricated JIT report on May 12 incident

KARACHI: Mystery surrounds a confessional statement which police attributes to in custody Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader and Karachi's nominated mayor  Waseem Akhtar.

A Joint Investigation Report (JIT) quoted Akhtar admitting that he had been directed by the MQM chief Altaf Hussain to stop a rally on May 12, 2007 which was being spearheaded  by the then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Akhtar, then the Adviser to Sindh CM for Home Affairs and presently the nominated mayor of Karachi, said he was directed to prevent the rally from being a success, no matter how many people die, stated the report.

The JIT adds that the MQM supremo received directives from Indian covert agency, Reseach & Analysis Wing (RAW).

"All political parties in Karachi including the MQM have militant wings and that money was transferred in party's London accounts through Hundi," the joint investigation report quoted Akhtar as saying.

On the other hand, Waseem Akhtar denied giving any statement with regard to May 12 incident and said some police officials issued a fabricated statement.

In a letter he handed to his lawyers, Akhtar called for an open inquiry into the May 12 massacre in Karachi.

The MQM rejected the allegations in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

"On May 12, 2007, police remained a silent spectator to the massacre on the streets of Karachi," said the party, questioning who is responsible for that.