MQM apologises for May 12 tragedy after 15 years

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui apologised for his party’s “misjudgement” during the May 12 tragedy that saw around 50 people lose their lives to riots back in 2007 in Karachi.

“MQM should have tendered an apology and I apologise for that. And this apology is for making a wrong judgement,” said Siddiqui.

خالد مقبول صدیقی نے سانحہ 12مئی واقعہ پر وکلا برادری سے معذرت کرلی#KhalidMaqboolSiddiqui #GTVNews via @gtvnetworkhd pic.twitter.com/OFTHD5SIQ6

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“We had been used and we regret that but that was not our intention and this is not how we function as a party,” he insisted.

Siddiqui admitted that MQM-P had a “slightly weakened ideologically”. However, he expressed hope that his party would again produce a new crop of young leaders who will “prove to be the future of the country”.

“We were accused of hatching a conspiracy and holding a Jinnahpur map and we were also called traitors. If this was the reality, then why was the MQM not banned?” he asked.

On May 12, 2007, overthrown Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (SC), Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, was scheduled to visit Karachi and take part in a function organised by the Sindh High Court Bar Association.

Members of civil society, including lawyers, were not allowed to reach the airport to welcome the then chief justice, thus leading to clashes between the supporters of the judge and the then-MQM member. Nearly 50 people lost their lives and hundreds of others were wounded that day.