Altaf Hussain, the self-exiled chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has announced to go on hunger strike till death outside the British prime minister’s official residence, against what he calls is his party’s “physical and economic” genocide at the hands of federal troops in Karachi.
Although the party’s Rabita Committee had on Sunday night appealed to Altaf Hussain to take back his decision of going on a hunger strike, a party leader said that permission was being sought from 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister’s official residence, and the local authorities to stage the hunger strike outside the venue.
“We have chosen 10 Downing Street as the hunger strike venue,” Wasay Jalil, the party’s spokesperson in London said. According to the MQM leader, his party would release more details about the protest as soon as it got permission from British authorities to carry out the hunger strike. “Party leaders will also go on hunger strike if Altaf Hussain carries it out,” he added.
Earlier speaking on Sunday, Altaf Hussain said: “I have promised the people that I will die rather than bow my head in front of tyrants.”
“The federal and provincial governments, the army, rangers and other security agencies of the state are busy in targeting innocent people, due to which I have taken a decision to go on a hunger strike,” he announced.
Hussain further stated that he does not have any other option left except of going on a hunger strike in order to lodge protest at what he sees is victimisation of his political party.
“After my death, all party affairs will be handled by Rabita Committee and it will be their decision whether or not to continue my political movement,” Hussain stated.
“Even after the passage of 67 years since independence, the Mohajirs are not considered citizens of equal stature in Pakistan. Killers of not a single Mohajir have been arrested. Certain political analysts, columnists, journalists and anchor persons vilify MQM, but they never bother to think about genuine complaints of MQM.”
“People accuse MQM of starting linguistic politics in Sindh out of utter prejudice. What would they say about the news report published in the Times of UK which clearly says that Gohar Ayub, son of General Ayub, committed a massacre in Karachi just because the people of Karachi had supported Ms Fatima Jinnah in the presidential elections?
“There was no MQM when this incident occurred. I was only 12-year old. The intellectuals and writers should answer if this massacre were not based on prejudice. Was MQM responsible for this?”
“The provincial government of Sindh introduced a language bill and imposed a quota system to drive a wedge between permanent residents of Sindh. Mohajirs, who were protesting peacefully against these, were subjected to terrorism. Hundreds of thousands of Mohajirs were forced to leave their lands, houses, business and properties and displaced from Interior Sindh. Where are the elements responsible for this massacre? What action has been taken against them so far?”
“Peaceful processions of MQM were fired upon on 31st October 1986 in Sohrab Goth area in Karachi and Market Chowk in Hyderabad. Dozens of peaceful MQM workers were martyred, and hundreds were injured.”
“The peaceful Mohajir localities of Qasba and Aligarh were attacked on 14th December 1986. Armed assailants killed several hundred people mercilessly. Mohajir women were abused, and even innocent children were not spared. We have evidence of this bloodshed. Was any operation conducted against the people responsible for this carnage? Was anyone arrested and punished?”
He said that MQM is the foremost political party in Pakistan that preaches peace.
“MQM had demanded an impartial and transparent operation against criminals, killers, and terrorists in Karachi. Before the start of the operation the Supreme Court had said that all political parties in Karachi had formed militant groups. When the operation started only the MQM was single out and victimized.”
“Once again people of Karachi have been deceived. They have been made a victim of prejudice once again. Over 4000 MQM workers have been arrested. Raids were conducted at thousands of homes. No resistance was encountered at any place from anyone. What could be the bigger proof of our guiltlessness and peacefulness?”
“I ask if the head office of any other political or religious party has also been raided. Has the central leader of any other party been arrested? Have workers of any other political party killed extra judicially after being subjected to inhuman torture in custody? Workers of which other political parties have been made to disappear after their arrests? About which political party has the Rangers announced that all of its office-bearers will be arrested?”
“It is the height of injustice that In-charge of Co-ordination Committee Kahfilwara and member Qamar Mansoor were arrested in a raid at Nine Zero on the 29th night of Ramzan. The raid was conducted at the time of Sehri due to which many people had to fast without eating Sehri. Political analysts, columnists, journalists and anchorpersons know Qamar Mansoor very well. They should decide for themselves if Qamar Mansoor could be a terrorist.”
The MQM founder and leader Altaf Hussain said that the establishment of Pakistan operates about the law and the constitution. “It is unfortunate that no political party in Pakistan is democratic in the true sense of the word. Directly or indirectly they are all agents of the establishment and want to perpetuate the status quo in Pakistan.”
He said, “The current Defence Minister gave a statement that two former heads of the ISI used Imran Khan for holding the sit-in in Islamabad. Funding was arranged through industrialists. Prominent people were asked to join the PTI and media was forced to cover the sit-in.”
RANGERS RAID:
Earlier on Friday, a contingent of Rangers paramilitary force raided Nine Zero, the headquarters of MQM, in Karachi’s Azizabad neighbourhood and detained two members of MQM’s Rabita Committee. This was the second raid by Rangers on Nine Zero this year.
According to an earlier press release issued by Sindh Rangers, MQM leaders Qamar Mansoor and Kaiful Warah were arrested from Azizabad on the charges of “arranging and facilitating hate speeches against the peace of Karachi”.
The Sindh Rangers later announced the release of MQM Rabita Committee’s member Kaiful Warah on Friday evening on sureties till Eidul Fitr.
First Information Reports (FIR) were also registered against Altaf Hussain at police stations across Pakistan for what the government has regarded as his “inflammatory remarks” against the military.