- PPP chief says he’ll hound MQM chief if any PPP worker is harmed
- MQM takes notice of Bilawal’s statement, says it’s an open threat to MQM chief
- Khurshid Shah says Bilawal made the statement in light of Karachi’s present situation
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday stirred a political storm when during his Eid address to party workers, the young leader lashed out at Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chairman Altaf Hussain, asking him to control his “namaloom afraad”.
“Uncle Altaf Hussain, I am asking you to control your ‘namaloom afraad’ in Karachi. If any PPP worker is harmed by them I swear no court in London or elsewhere will be able to stop me from coming after you,” Bilawal said, addressing Hussain.
Reacting to the PPP leader’s statement, MQM’s Rabita Committee convened an emergency meeting during which MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that Bilawal had made the statement while reading from a piece of paper, therefore MQM will take this as part of PPP’s stated policy.
“It was not a slip of tongue,” Rizvi said, adding that the statement made by Bilawal is an open threat to Altaf Hussain.
He went on to describe the statements made by Bilawal as those “filled with hatred and based on discrimination”.
“The Rabita Committee has taken serious notice and legal angles have been considered,” he went on to add.
The MQM leader further added that the party would take this matter to the Sindh Assembly, National Assembly and Senate to demand answers from PPP.
“What is the meaning of this threat to Altaf Hussain? The reason for these [threats] will be determined on the floor of the Sindh Assembly,” he reiterated.
“We will convey our concerns to the MET police and we will contact the UK government for the safety of Altaf Hussain,” he said.
SHAH DEFENDS BILAWAL:
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah on Tuesday sought to ease tensions between the two parties, saying that Bilawal had made the reference in light of Karachi’s present situation.
“PPP believes in politics of reconciliation and there is no change in its policy,” Shah stated.