Negotiator among 40 held in police raid on MWM Islamabad office

Police and rangers raided the Islamabad office of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) on Friday and arrested around 40 persons including a negotiator who is part of the PAT’s talks committee engaged in talks with the government.

MWM’s spokesman Hasnain Zaidi said that police and Rangers arrested at least nine MWM activists, including the party’s political secretary Asad Abbas. Others are said to be supporters. Asad Abbas is member of the PAT’s negotiating team who was holding talks with the government to sort out the settlement between the PAT and the government.

Leading Shiite party MWM believe the raid was aimed at victimizing the MWM for its strong opposition to the PML-N government over its corruption and also said that Nawaz Sharif had grabbed powers through massive rigging.

The organisation had announced full support for the Pakistan Awami Tehrik’s chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri when the latter began his protests against the government.