HYDERABAD: Police moved swiftly to prevent a flare-up in Latifabad Units Nos.6 and 7 when rival groups of activists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) came face to face over wall-chalking in the area late on Friday evening.

Heated arguments between rival groups turned the situation tense after graffiti against leaders of the MQM and PSP appeared on different walls in the two localities. Police units quickly moved into the areas where emotionally charged activists were trading allegations of resorting to wall-chalking against their leaders first.

Deployment was made at the PSP office in Unite No. 6 and former Muttahida MNA Tayyab Hussain’s residence in Unit No.7 to prevent a flare-up.

MNA Hussain submitted an application at the A-Section police station seeking registration of an FIR against Israr Khanzada, Mumtaz and Raheel Raju (former sector in-charge in the MQM’s organisational structure) for allegedly hurling abuses at his party chief Altaf Hussain and colleagues while hearing of people’s complaints was under way.

Raheel Kaimkhani of the PSP alleged that MQM activists Amir Iqbal Khanzada, Javed Deswali and others resorted to beating up some PSP supporters and wall-chalking against his leaders. His party colleague, Mazhar Abbas submitted an application at the B-Section police station seeking an FIR against Mr Khanzada, ex-MNA Tayyab Hussain, Ibrar, Aleem Raza, Waseem and others.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2016