He puts MQM on the defensive again
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, MQM, has been the oddball in our politics. Its roots lay in ethnicity; its leader lives in self-exile; has urban representation only and an organization that matches a para-military structure. But that’s not the only thing that stands out about MQM. Its top leader, Altaf Hussain, has been known to make statements that are detrimental to the very existence of the federation as it is. He is oftentimes in the news, for the wrong reasons. What he said the other day must make the top of the list.
Addressing a gathering in Latifabad, Hyderabad, he demanded for a separate province, blaming the PPP provincial government for not being fair to his party. Threatening with bloodshed, he warned that if his demand of power sharing on 50-50 basis was not accepted, the demand could transform into a demand for a separate country. There are a number of levels at which this statement can be seen as an explosive one, but his top lieutenants are hard at work trying to cover up the mess created by their leader, saying that the party only wanted an equitable distribution of resources. That would make sense if the same demand had been made at a relevant forum instead of inciting people to play with fire, gunfire actually, as the Rangers and LEAs had a tough day at their hands the other day with 14 giving their life to the violence ensuing his statement. Nationalist parties, and pretty much every other political party as well, took an exception to the MQM chief’s statement and asked that he withdrew his statement or there could be strikes. As much as spin MQM’s leaders are now trying to the statement that Mr Altaf made, there is no explanation to what he said, and that was not the first time he said anything like this; he is known for his verbal shenanigans. And he always gets away with it.
This time around though the message from Altaf was unambiguous. The denial, from him and his party members, is an afterthought after strong reaction from the entire political spectrum. Whatever explanations the party might offer Altaf’s rhetoric has once again raised the specter of Jinnahpur. Unless the party reins in its leader its isolation will only increase and it will be on the defensive.
