HYDERABAD: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) senior vice chairman Anees Advocate and secretary general Raza Haroon have termed the Friday afternoon arrest and later release of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan `meaningful` saying that `the cat has finally come out of the bag` Speaking at a press conference in the local PSP of fice on Saturday, they repeated their allegation that the leader of the so-called MQMPakistan, Dr Farooq Sattar, and his associates were defrauding the nation by insisting that they had really parted ways with the party`s supremo, Altaf Hussain. `The drama is a futile attempt to mislead the nation,` they said, arguing that a man arrested after being nominated in recent FIRs was released within a few hours but hundreds of others languishing in different jails without being charge-sheeted or convicted were not being considered for such a favour.

`The Section-169 invoked to setfree Mr Hasan is never used to release any of such activists languishing in jails for years,` they argued to criticise the Sindh government for extending favour to the senior MQM leader. They, however, agreed that the way Mr Hasan was grabbed and dragged by the police was not appropriate to arrest a political and elected figure.

`The MQM-Pakistan is crying foul over the actions being taken by police and Rangers and it has also started using the `Mohajir card` once again to gain sympathies of the Urdu-speaking people but all this is a part of the dirty game which may ultimately result in loss to the same people,` said Anees Advocate. He stressed that the authorities concerned must do something to locate over 100 Urduspeaking youths who were still missing and feel the pains of the affected families.

He said that there were a large number of other MQM activists who had to go underground long ago; unable to return to their houses fearing arrest or reprisal; and unable to live a normal life and have a livelihood. `They are suf fering because of their party chief`s[Altaf Hussain`s] misdeeds and treacherous activities,` he said referring to the MQM supremo`s anti-state statements and alleged links with the Indian intelligence agency.

He accused the MQM-P leaders of covertly protect Altaf Hussain, and argued that if they were really honest in dissociating themselves from him, they must prove it by quitting the elected houses and staging street demonstrations or sit-ins for the recovery of their missing party activists. `If they start such a campaign right now, they will find us with them,` he added.

He described the public mandate for the MQM as a mandate for Altaf Hussain. He said the PSP would let the MQM-P deceive Mohajirs.

He said that MQM as a whole was a dead horse and could not be revived. He said Mr Hussain would never relinquish the party`s command and, as such, the MQM-P leadership`s all efforts to run the party would prove to be an exercise in futility.

Raza Haroon said that all elected people including the prime minis-ter were under the oath on the country`s constitution and under the obligation to defend the country`s sovereignty and integrity. If any of them would deviate from the obligation under his party`s high command inciting treachery, he must be dealt with accordingly. He regretted that an appropriateaction against the MQM`s Londonbased high command was not being taken by the state for his treacherous statements and activities.

Later, the PSP leaders announced the names of several activists belonging to the MQM, PPP, ANP and Pasban who joined the PSP.