LAHORE – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar said MQM entered Punjab to serve the masses and the time was not far when people would realize the difference between the MQM and the other political forces. Sattar was talking to the representatives of the print and electronic media at a reception hosted by the LPG Dealer Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar. Among others, MQM Punjab chapter President Randhawa and Sarfaraz Nawaz were also present. “Now that the party has entered the political arena of Punjab, it will never leave the arena,” he said, adding only the MQM had the capacity to free Punjabis from the clutches of feudal lords.
Sattar said the MQM always talked about reforms to change the lot of the poor and that it would continue its struggle all over the country. “The MQM has made Karachi and Hyderabad model cites”, he added. Sattar said the MQM always talked about reforms and a revolution that will come from ballot not the bullet. “The time is not far when people will feel this revolution”, he added. On holding a public meeting at Manto Park, he said the Punjab government has cited security concerns as the reason for not allowing the MQM to hold a public gathering there. He hoped that the government would grant permission finally.
Asked to comment on the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi, Sattar said that MQM has no administrative role in ensuring peace. He recalled that when MQM-backed Interior Minister Waseem Akhtar was at the helm, the security the situation was very much under control. He said the MQM had identified the elements who want to create unrest in Karachi and now the government should take action against them. Yet to another question, he vowed the MQM would never allow the government to impose GST. He said the MQM forced the government to revoke its decision to increase the fuel prices. On taxing the agriculture sector, he said the MQM just wanted to impose taxes on landlords and feudal lords. .
He said the farmers and growers should have a share of the revenue collected from big landlords that never paid even a single penny as tax. He, however, said the situation would not improve until the taxation system was reformed. He said it was time the political parties buried the hatchet and reconcile differences. He said Tehreek-Isnsaf chief Imran Khan phoned MQM Chief Altaf Hussain and he paid a visit to Mansoora to promote the culture of reconciliation. The MQM central leader said Punjab was the main province of the country and the MQM would wish to bring agricultural, economical, social and political reforms in the province to resolve the issues such as poverty, unemployment, and price hikes.
