PTI petition urges British PM to act against Altaf

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) handed in a petition to Prime Minister David Cameron’s office at 10 Downing Street, urging action against the Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain for his alleged remarks about ‘separating’ Karachi and threatening journalists and peaceful protesters.

A delegation of PTI London, led by Shahbaz Khan, visited PM Cameron’s office with a CD containing “evidence”, a petition signed by more than 70,000 people globally and another petition containing signatures of 850 British nationals. Others in the delegation included Mansoor Zia, Atif Ali Shah, Nausheen Hamid, Jawad Bhatti and Fahad Saleem.
The delegation members said that they were visiting Number 10 “to emphasise the importance of the issue involving Altaf Hussain and to highlight the grave danger caused to Pakistan and the people of Pakistan”.

“We would like to see a fear-free Karachi and the British government can help Pakistani citizens by bringing Altaf Hussain to justice and prevent him from spreading hatred and inciting violence from London, they said.

The petition called on the British government to “prosecute” Hussain for his public address made from London on May 12 in which he is alleged to have issued threats of violence. The MQM leader soon after his address issued clarification, which said that he did not mean to threaten anyone physically and that his opponents were exploiting the case for their own ends.

The petition told the British government that “the welfare and safety of PTI workers and leaders and their families and property is in grave danger” in Karachi and “many have already been targeted and threatened by Mr Hussain’s party workers”. The petition stated that action against the MQM should be taken for “inciting terrorism overseas” and encouragement” of terrorism.

Doctor Nausheen Hamid, who was part of the delegation, said Britain is well aware how its soil is used to destabilise by not just one party but several others involved in anti-Pakistan activities but the authorities have turned a blind eye. She said the fact that violence has been “dialed up and dialed down from Britain for a very long time is known to all countries”.

Separately a group of Pakistani students has announced that it will hold a demonstration outside the MQM’s London headquarters today (Saturday). Waleed Mian, a Pakistani student in London, said that Pakistani student societies from Kingston, Kings College, School of Oriental and African Studies, and Queen’s Mary will attend the demonstration.

It is understood that the PTI did not offer its help to the demonstration officially but its members will be attending the demonstration privately. Mian said that the demonstration would highlight the “cycle of killings in Pakistan, especially Karachi”. “We also demand the British authorities take action against MQM leader and British citizen Altaf Hussain who has made death threats to peaceful protesters in Karachi. This protest is organised by a group of students and Pakistani societies from several universities are supporting it but we are not affiliated with any political party.”