Islamabad , Pakistan ( CNN ) Pakistani Armed Forces paramilitary personal stormed the headquarters of one of the country 's most powerful regional opposition political parties in a predawn raid on Wednesday , seizing a stash of weapons and arresting several wanted criminals , officials said . The Rangers arrived unannounced early Wednesday morning , arrested five men and sealed off the party 's headquarter for four hours . According to a press release from the MQM ( Muttahida Qaumi Movement ) one of their party workers was shot fatally by rangers during the raid . `` All telephone lines have been disconnected and premises ransacked . Computers and other electronic items have been confiscated . The Rangers also destroyed the electronic surveillance system that had been set up following the May 2013 bomb attacks by the Pakistan Taliban ( TTP ) , '' the release said . Rangers officials have not responded so far to these accusations . In a statement to the media , the Pakistan Rangers released a list of those arrested , including Faisal Mota , a former MQM worker who had been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia for the murder of journalist Wali Khan Babur . Speaking to the media , Rangers spokesperson Col.Tahir Mahmood also confirmed that a large amount of illegal weapons had been seized during the raid . `` The weapons that we had were legal and there as a precautionary measure to deal with real threats from the Taliban against our party and its workers , '' Faisal Sabzwari , a senior MQM party leader told CNN . MQM is based in Karachi and is one of Pakistan 's largest political parties . It has the second-largest contingent in the provincial assembly , with 54 of 130 seats . It styles itself as a voice for the downtrodden , the middle class and immigrants from nearby India , but political rivals accuse the party of using heavy-handed tactics , including intimidation , to stay in power . `` The raid is meant to send a clear message that law enforcement agencies and Rangers in particular are not going to bow to any political convention , '' said Zarrar Khuhro , a senior journalist and political analyst in Karachi . MQM 's party leader Altaf Hussain , who has been living in self-imposed exile in London called for calm , but criticized the raid saying that `` it should not be the role of the armed forces to conduct extrajudicial operations on lawful organizations , least of all the headquarters of a democratically elected political party . '' Pakistan 's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said late Wednesday night that the raid was legal . The MQM has the clout to shut down the city in an hour , sparking general strikes which could last for days , locals say . In the aftermath , locals say businesses in Karachi have shut down , and gas pumps and schools are closed for fear violent protests could erupt in the streets .
Rangers arrested five men and sealed off the party 's headquarter for early Wednesday morning . MQM is based in Karachi and is one of Pakistan 's largest political parties . Businesses , gas pumps and schools remain closed in Karachi due to raid aftermath .