Dual nationality and Jinnah: Altaf’s ‘drone strike’

Launching his promised “political drone strike” on Thursday, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain called upon all those criticising his British nationality by citing the nationality of country’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, saying even Jinnah held a British passport and took oath of allegiance to the then British king, George VI.
Without naming his coalition partner, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Hussain claimed that the government was threatening MQM with removal of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan if the party participated in Dr Qadri’s long march on January 14.
Addressing a mammoth gathering of MQM leaders and workers in Karachi over telephone, a charged Altaf referred to threats of removing Sindh governor, saying his party was not power hungry and the president could remove the governor whenever he wanted. “Remove the governor if you want. Do you think we are hungry for power? We are hungry for rules, for justice, for bread for the poor.”
Taking a jibe at critics of his British nationality, Altaf said many people did not know their history and he would like to tell them a few bits.
“Jinnah had taken the oath of remaining loyal to the British emperor and his successor and it is a proven fact. Should I bash Jinnah for that? He did so for the sake of betterment of Pakistani people.”
Comparing Jinnah’s gesture with his, he said, “In the same spirit, I opted for British nationality. Had I not acquired the British nationality, who else would have provided me safety? Saudi Arabia?”
He said seeking dual nationality to save life was no wrong deed.
Altaf even offered to return to Pakistan and asked his party members if he should do so. But the MQM loyalists who claim they would rather have their leader than their political destination, “stopped” him from doing so.
“Altaf Bhai it is all right if you have acquired British nationality for a while, but you should not come back to Pakistan,” they said in unison.
The MQM chief added, “Until March 23, 1956, Pakistan remained part of British dominion while all parliamentarians and public office-bearers took oath of remaining loyal to the British emperor.”
Questioning the democratic agenda of other political parties, the MQM chief asked why only his party raised concern against the abolition of local government.
Hitting back at critics of the local government system enforced in Sindh last September, Altaf said those against the system were against democracy and their calls to protect democracy were hollow.
The MQM chief warned that if the government did not listen to Urdu speaking Sindhis on local government, they would be forced to call for a division of Sindh.
“We have been tolerating these threats, we do not want a division of Sindh, don’t push us against the wall.”
Altaf said Nawaz Sharif and his family lived in Saudi Arabia on diplomatic passports for a long period of time, adding that the Saudi king was not his (Altaf’s) friend, else he would have gotten a palace in Saudi Arabia in 1992. He said various leaders of the PPP also lived abroad for several years. Altaf said the PPP and other political and religious parties staged long marches in the past, but only the MQM was being criticised for agreeing to participate in the march announced by Dr Tahirul Qadri. He vowed to continue supporting Altaf despite criticism from government and opposition quarters.