KARACHI: In an unexpected situation, police raided house of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, and detained him apparently in connection with 12 May incident, Samaa reported. According to our correspondent, a police team led by SSP Rao Anwar arrived at Khawaja Izhar’s residence and arrested the MQM leader who is also Opposition Leader...

According to our correspondent, a police team led by SSP Rao Anwar arrived at Khawaja Izhar’s residence and arrested the MQM leader who is also Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly.

Samaa TV footage showed police moving the handcuffed MQM stalwart in an armoured personnel carrier.

Earlier, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh Police raided the MQM lawmaker’s house in his absence in an attempt to arrest him.

Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan claimed that police searched his house for about 25 minutes.

“I don’t know why they raided my house. I was not there when police arrived,” the MQM senior leader told Samaa.

Hassan claimed that he was in a meeting with Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah at time of the raid; however CM House Spokesman denied any such meeting.

SSP Rao Anwar said he, and not the SHO Sohrab Goth, was leading the raid that was conducted on tip off about presence of notorious target-killer Raees alias Mama in the area. The accused is involved in 12 May bloodshed in Karachi

He said Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan’s residence was among several house searched by police during the action.

Reports said, IG Sindh Police A.D Khawaja took notice of the raid and suspended SHO Sohrab Goth over the CTD action.

Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan is among several MQM leaders nominated in many cases, including those about provocative speeches of MQM chief Altaf Hussain. – Samaa