Mirza was in contact with Altaf just before arrest: wife

KARACHI: The wife of death row inmate Saulat Mirza on Monday revealed that her husband was in contact with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain just before he was apprehended by the authorities in Karachi.

In an exclusive interview in "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath", the wife of the former MQM worker said she visited the party headquarters, Nine Zero, for the last time in the previous month (February). “Since then we were not even allowed to move beyond Mukka Chowk (a roundabout located about half-a-kilometre from Nine Zero),” she added.

She said MQM leader Farooq Sattar told her the party’s role in connection with Mirza’s case is over and ‘now you are on your own’.

She termed MQM's announcement of disowning Mirza as a 'big joke'.

“Had the party not disowned Saulat Mirza, he would not have opened his mouth,” she said, demanding that her husband’s statement be investigated.

She said her husband did not give the statement under duress.

“Why is it that the individual from whom the order (for assassination of the MD KESC) came is not being taken to task?” she expressed her shock.

She said there were four people involved in this case but they are not being apprehended. “Why aren't they be brought before the court,” she asked.

She further claimed that MQM leader Qamar Mansoor and Advocate Arif Khan continued to work very hard on Mirza’s case after his appeal was dismissed by the court.

“We remained in contact with Qamar Mansoor, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Anis Qaimkhani and Dr Nusrat,” she said, adding she also had numerous contacts with Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan in connection with Mirza’s case.




Dr Farooq Sattar reacts:

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said he would not expect Mirza’s wife to speak against her husband.

He said Saulat remained a worker of the party until 1997-1998.

“Doesn’t the airing of Saulat's statement just a few hours before his execution smell of a conspiracy?” he asked.




He said there was nothing out-of-the-ordinary in the photos in which Mirza is accompanying other prisoners on the occasions of Altaf Hussan’s birthday and the founding day of MQM.

He asked Mirza’s wife as to why she failed to make any mention today of her press conference that she held on March 14.

Mirza’s execution delayed for 30 more days

Earlier today, President Mamnoon Hussain, put off for 30 more days the execution of Saulat, on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.