KARACHI: Rangers on Thursday detained Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s MNA, Asif Hasnain at Karachi airport before flying for Islamabad.

According to details, the MQM lawmaker was taken away by Rangers personnel minutes before he was boarding an Islamabad-bound flight.

The paramilitary force arrested him to probe whether he was ‘fleeing’ to escape possible arrest in view of several cases registered against MQM leaders.

He has been shifted to unknown location.

Earlier, MQM MPA Shiraz Waheed was arrested by police in Karachi’s Landhi area for distributing controversial CDs. A case was registered against him.

Waheed was arrested by Super Highway police. The MQM leader was elected MPA from PS-123 Korangi.

Law enforcement agencies are cracking down on MQM offices and arresting activists and leaders on charges of listening to hate speech of party leader and indulging in violence.

Analysts believe that the current crackdown on the party was aimed at wiping out party head, who has a massive following among MQM voters in Karachi, from the mainstream politics.

Rangers arrest MQM’s Shahid Pasha, party claims

KARACHI: Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) Rabita Committee’s deputy convener Shahid Pasha has been taken into custody by Sindh Rangers in the early morning raid on Monday. MQM’s spokesperson Wasay Jalil has confirmed Pasha’s arrest. “Rangers had raided his apartment in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar area of Karachi at 3:00am and arrested him,” said Jalil. MQM’s leadership condemned the action of Sindh Rangers on social media and demanded the immediate release of their senior member. Shahid Pasha was appointed the deputy convener of the party’s Rabita Committee last year in 2015