KARACHI : The paramilitary Rangers have released senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Farooq Sattar and Khawaja Izharul Hassan after briefly detaining them on Monday night along with several other party workers after two media houses were attacked by MQM activists following party chief Altaf Hussain’s provocative speech.

The senior members of MQM including Farooq Sattar, Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan, Amir Liaquat and others were taken into custody by Rangers last night.

Speaking to Dunya News after his release, Farooq Sattar said it is the decisive time now.

He further stated that party’s future strategy will be announced in a press conference at 2:00pm today.

On Monday evening, the Sindh Rangers launched also a full scale crackdown against the MQM, arresting MQM leader Amir Liaquat Hussain and others. Party’s Nine Zeror headquarters and its Khurshid Begum Complex were also raided.

It all started after MQM activists clashed with police and ransacked ARY News office in the southern port city of Karachi on Monday, leaving at least one man dead and seven others injured.

The violence erupted soon after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, in a telephonic address to his supporters, castigated the media for not giving due coverage of his workers.

MQM activists, who had just ended a week-long hunger strike over a government crackdown against them, attacked the ARY station after his address from self-imposed exile in London.

MQM workers also clashed with police on the streets, sparking volleys of gunshots and tear gas in several places across the city, police and witnesses said.