- Asks why govt is holding dialogue with MQM if it is unable to accept legitimate demands of party
- Criticises ban on his speeches, believes MQM sympathisers will voluntarily collect hides
- Fazl hints at distancing himself from govt-MQM mediation, as Finance Ministry denies Dar discussed anything related to army during MQM talks
- Govt says MQM delegation has been given the assurance that their demands would be accorded due consideration
The political drama involving the government and two major opposition parties continued on Saturday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain castigated the government for its ‘helplessness’ and also accused Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Zardari of “deceiving him twice”.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Fazlur Rehman also hinted on Saturday that he was going to withdraw from the mediatory role assigned to him by the government to persuade the MQM legislators to withdraw their resignations from the assemblies.
ALTAF LASHES OUT AT GOVT:
While addressing a meeting in Lal Qila Ground in Azizabad late on Friday, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said that the government should first try to take back the powers of the prime minister before asking MQM members of the Parliament to withdraw their resignations.
Addressing a crowd comprising women, elderly, members of the MQM Co-ordination Committee and Central Executive Committee, Hussain said, “PM Nawaz Sharif can issue an order allowing the MQM to open its offices, but he is not giving such an order. If he has any compulsion, he should tell the nation openly. If he did not come clean with the facts then I will disclose to the nation the facts that I have.”
“The federal government is saying that we cannot do anything for lifting the ban on the speeches of Altaf Hussain. They cannot do anything for allowing the MQM to resume its political and welfare activities either. If the federal government cannot do anything and is unable to accept the legitimate demands, why is it trying to hold dialogues with the MQM? Why is the MQM being asked to come back in assemblies?”
“Certain federal ministers are saying that they are helpless on the issue of allowing Altaf Hussain’s speeches as the Lahore High Court has banned it. If the order of the high court is correct, why is the judgment of the Supreme Court giving the death sentence to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto not being accepted?”
Hussain said, “MQM is the third largest political party in the country, but an unannounced ban has been placed on its political and welfare activities. MQM’s charitable wing KKF has been serving the humanity for the past 37 years. It has nothing to do with politics. KKF collects Zakat and Fitra during the month of Ramzan and hides of sacrificial animals at the time of Eidul Azha. The money obtained in this manner is spent for supporting family members of martyred workers, widows, needy students and physically challenged people in the form of monthly assistance.”
“The magnificent work done by the KKF, whenever any natural calamity hit the country, is recognized by all. Attempts have always been made to stop the welfare activities of the KKF, sometimes by PPP and sometimes by PML-N. Now the director general of Rangers is saying that the MQM would not be allowed to collect hides of sacrificial animals.”
“I will not respond to the statement of Rangers DG, but the MQM sympathisers would voluntarily collect the hides and give a fitting reply. Youths, elderly and women will take part in this noble work and break all past records.”
“A ban has been placed on the broadcast of my speeches. I had written a letter to our mothers and sisters when I was in jail, and the local government elections had been announced. I will write a similar letter once again, and this letter will remove the distance between me, my workers, and the people.”
“Karachi is the hub of economic activities in Pakistan. It earns Rs 2,000 billion for the national exchequers, but it is given a paltry Rs 50 billion for the development of infrastructure. It is great injustice to the people of Karachi,” he said, adding that if the federation cannot give Karachi its due share in resources, it should make Karachi a separate province.
Lashing out at PPP chief Asif Zardari, Altaf said that Zardari had deceived him twice and got him abused by his men but he observed patience.
“Although Karachi contributes Rs 2,000 billion to the national kitty, the metropolis only gets a development fund of Rs 50 billion,” he said.
FAZL DISAPPOINTED:
A statement issued by the Majlis-e-Shura of JUI-F said that senior party leaders have advised their chief, Fazl to detach himself from the negotiations between the government and MQM.
Per reports, the JUI-F chief said in the meeting that the MQM and government did not care of the settled matters which disappointed him. Both the parties did not show any flexibility, he reportedly told his party leaders.
The party leaders were of the view that both the parties are not giving significance to party chief. The party members also disapproved of the JUI-F chief’s visit to MQM headquarters Nine-Zero in Karachi.
GOVT STILL HOPING FOR MQM’S RETURN:
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Finance Ministry rejected contents of a report appearing in Pakistan Today on the political imbroglio, emphasising that the government wanted talks with the MQM in the true spirit of reconciliation and accommodation.
A statement issued by the ministry said that the prime minister had assigned Fazlur Rehman the responsibility to have parleys with MQM leadership who had sincerely taken up the task. It is expected of MQM to return to the table for talks so that the deadlock is resolved, the statement added.
The statement further said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar did not discuss anything related to army on the question of MQM resignations nor made any claims that the prime minister was resisting pressure from any side to accept the resignations.
The spokesman said that the report was a “malicious attempt to create ill will and misunderstanding among the stakeholders”.
The spokesman said the news regarding abandoning of talks by the MQM leadership Thursday morning was unexpected as overnight the MQM delegation had been given the assurance that their demands would be accorded due consideration.
