The renowned journalist Owen-Bennett Jones has published a bold and brave investigative report on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and its Quaid, Altaf Hussain in the Guardian of July 29. This is the same report that, after releasing the film on the MQM, the BBC had refused to publish online. Aptly Titled “Altaf Hussain, the notorious MQM leader who swapped Pakistan for London”, some excerpts from the piece make for startling reading.
The story claims that there were a total number of seventy-two cases registered against Altaf Hussain including thirty-one allegations of murder which were dropped upon the promulgation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) by General Musharraf. The MQM chief is also accused of using his speeches from London for inciting violence in Pakistan with threats hurled at anchorpersons, journalists, landowners and businessmen. One such statement threatens: “If you don’t stop the lies and false allegations that damage our party’s reputation, then don’t blame me, Altaf Hussain, or the MQM if you get killed by any of my millions of supporters.”In a startling revelation, the report states that “on two occasions British judges have found that the MQM is a violent organisation.”
The report also mentions the recovery of £ 400,000 from the MQM’s Edgware office and Altaf Hussain’s house in Mill Hill. About the prospect of success of the investigation, Owen claims:“Their investigation, however’ is complicated by the fact that the MQM has supporters deep within the Pakistani state who want to protect it, and more cynical actors such as Pakistan’s main intelligence agency, the ISI, which want to control it”.
The report also makes a mention of the letter written by Altaf Hussain to the British prime minister Tony Blair in which he had offered his services for staging demonstrations in Karachi comprising hundreds of thousands of people, sharing human intelligence and providing select groups to penetrate Afghanistan in the form of aid workers to enhance Western agencies’ intelligence information capabilities.
The report is a telling indictment of the authorities in Pakistan and the UK and assumes increased importance in the context of recent political developments in the country. In order to ensure victory of its nominated candidate for the office of the president, the PML-N’s top stalwarts travelled to 90 Azizabad to secure the support of the MQM parliamentarians. This comes after the PML-N had repeatedly and publicly accused the MQM for fanning violence.
In fact it was on Nawaz Sharif’s insistence that articles 13 and 14 had been added to the APC Declaration. Article 13 stated that “the APC holds General Musharraf, the Sindh governor, the provincial government and the MQM responsible for the carnage carried out in Karachi on May 12, 2007 and demands an independent judicial enquiry by a judge of the Supreme Court to ascertain and identify the persons involved” while article 14 said that “the APC condemns the recent acts of terrorism in the UK. It further resolves to write a joint memorandum to the UK government for initiating necessary legal proceedings against MQM chief Altaf Hussain for his alleged role in incidents of terrorism in Pakistan”.
All this is in addition to Nawaz Sharif’s disclosure that he, as the prime minister, knew that “MQM had murdered Hakim Mohammad Said in Karachi on October 17, 1998”. He further stated that “after the refusal of MQM to surrender the killers, I preferred to sacrifice the provincial government of Liaqat Jatoi instead of making compromises with those who had killed an honourable man like Hakim Said.”
It is in this background that PML-N delegation’s visit to 90 Azizabad to secure support for their presidential nominee has to be evaluated, there being some questions that the prime minister need to answer:
(1) Do you stick to all the statements that you made about the MQM and Altaf Hussain concerning their involvement in terrorism and murder or those were made merely to secure some political gains?
(2) Were articles 13 and 14 inserted in the APC Declaration of 2007 on your insistence and in spite of opposition from others including Benazir Bhutto?
(3) Having served in various capacities including the elected prime minister of the country on two occasions, if the statements you made were true and you knew of the role that the MQM and its leader had played in Karachi, why didn’t you proceed against the outfit and its functionaries in accordance with the provisions of law?
(4) If you believe that the statements you made on various occasions about the MQM are true, why did you allow your party stalwarts to solicit electoral support for your presidential nominee from the MQM and reportedly also held out an offer to them to join the federal government?
These are not small matters. These are serious, in fact grave issues. These concern Pakistan which is neither the prime minister’s personal estate nor that of the MQM and its leader Altaf Hussain. Pakistan belongs to its people who have shed their sweat and blood for it. They seek answers. They seek answers from the leaders who have repeatedly sacrificed Pakistan’s interests at the altar of political survival and financial gains.
It is a matter the Chief Justice should take notice of on a priority basis because it concerns the country that has bestowed upon him the unique honour. Now is the time for the SC and its honourable judges to adjudicate by being on the side of Pakistan, without supporting an individual or a group of individuals, no matter how powerful, no matter how strong.
The first question should be when are you going to return the Billions you and your beloved brother money laundried to Britain.
Good work. I think nawaz sharif is seeking help only for presidential election. He is not going to make alliance with mqm.
.
Owen-Bennett Jones keeps mentioning 400,000 (British Pound) …
At this level of political activity, it's only a 'chicken feed' …
He knows it …
.
Bennett Jones is very certainly engaged in a campaign …
Lost respect …
.
TOGETHER WE CAN…………DAR N FAMILY N FRIENDS………LONG LIVE MQM……WE ARE SO SORRY TO VOTE FOR PMLN….NEVER AGAIN IN THE SAME TRAP……THOUGHT THAT 10 YEARS WAS A GOOD TIME TO LEARN………WAS MISTAKEN….TIGER NEVER CHANGES ITS SPOTS……KEEP CALM N KEEP ON MAKING MONEY MY NS N FAMILY
You have seen PMLN's democracy in just two months. Give them more time, you will be asked to forget democracy in favor of personal rule of NS and SS.
Amir ul Umora Nawaz sharif donot believe in any moral principles in politicas, he is a typical Pakistani business man,he is in politicas not to serve the people but to enrich his family, why he took his sons to China visit? He made billions during his two last terms.and given Banks and industries owned by govt to his business partners ,He is representative of traders and businessmen not the poor of Pakistan, he is hypocrates and liars.
its a shame what they preach in opposition, they forget when they are in power. they are fooling people and its people's fault to be fooled by these "MADAAREES". NS is businessman and politics is business for him. any step that flourshes his business, he will take it and principle doesnt come into play!! he and his party should be reprimended by the Press and they need to answer why they have to bail MQM out when they were cornered? was it on the recommendation of foriegn powers?? serious questions needs to be answered
All political parties in Pakistan have criminals in their ranks and file, MQM being a political party is no exception. As long as the people of urban sindh continue to suffer because of unjust Quota system, they will have no choice but to support MQM and its founder " Altaf Hussain" who has become a mythical fiqure for his supporters. MQM is a creation of specific circumstances " discrimination against an ethnic minority", once these circumstances cease to exist, there will be no MQM.
you are justifying MQM voilence on the pretext of injustices!! Muhajirs are not the only group of people, who have been discriminated!! in fact Muhajirs probably are more represented in the higher beurocracy and in Army than any other athnic group in pakistan.
Look at Zia, Musharaf, aslam beg, all urdu speaking.
In order to achiew your rights you dont have to become criminals, as MQM has become. you can never win righs for your group of people by extorsions, crminality and murders!
Altaf hussain is a criminal and Anti state, it has been proved that he provided his services to spy for UK in his own country. he need to tell his fellow people from karachi, how was he compensated for these services? he can be bought by any country who will pay for his services. karachites are intelligent people and majority of them are patriotic pakistanis and should stand up to this manice called Altaf hussian and MQM
Altaf don and his terrorist organization involved in Karachi ,Hyderabad bloodshed.He is foreign agent and useful for anti Pakistan foreign agencies.There also some reports about Altaf don,s terrorists get terrorism training in India which is missing in this report.New PML N government also surrenders to Altaf don.Its not surprising because raymoud davis case is example of nawaz and his government when nawaz left for London during this important case.
The CJ closed his eye on Nawaz violation of article 62/63 so what you expect from him?
Justice ?
Testing
Comments are closed.