Boundary walls of Lal Qila Ground, a park where the MQM (Muttehida Qoumi Movement used to organise gatherings of the party, have been bulldozed just like the might of this party that was once the most powerful party in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Lal Qila Ground is located in Azizabad area in Karachi which is considered the stronghold of MQM in the city. This operation is a clear message that the illegal structures in Karachi will be bulldozed like Lal Qila Ground boundary walls.
The demolition operation was carried out on the night between Saturday and Sunday when officials with a heavy contingent of security personnel arrived at the park in Azizabad’s block-8. Journalists were not allowed to cover the demolition operation and started bulldozing boundary walls. TV footage showed concrete walls and other structures reduced to rubble across the park.
The MQM headquarters of Nine Zero is next to the Lal Qila Ground while the Party leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui’s residence also faces the park.
Reports say the security personnel were accompanied by officials from the district administration.
However, the Central District Commissioner says he neither ordered the operation nor he knows who was behind it. The district commissioner said the operation must have been carried out by the police or other law enforcement agencies.
Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) has also expressed surprise over the demolition. Senior Director Land Bashir Siddiqui said non of the KMC anti-encroachment cells had carried out the operation.
