Redefining itself
The submission of a resolution by MQM leader Farooq Sattar in the lower house condemning the ’anti-Pakistan’ statements made by the party’s defunct leader Altaf Hussain is a welcome move by MQM-Pakistan. A similar resolution moved by Federal Minister Barjees Tahir has been passed by the House unanimously.
The fact that 22 out of the 24 MNA’s from MQM signed both resolutions suggests that there is consensus amongst MQM-Pakistan on the new direction they are taking. This is however something unheard of in the party’s history and therefore many doubt the MQM parliamentarians’ sincerity.
The events of 22nd August that include attacks on media houses in Karachi have proven to be a watershed moment for the party as its leadership in Pakistan seems to have realized the need to completely disassociate themselves from Altaf Hussain and his London set up. The removal of Altaf Hussain’s name from party constitution and his picture from party flag are also moves in the right direction.
On Thursday, Wasay Jalil from MQM-London said that there could not be any ‘minus-one formula’ as there is no MQM without Altaf – only a day after all MNA’s from the party have done just that, cut Altaf out.
Petitions have meanwhile been filed with the Sindh High Court to impose a ban on the party. PTI’s Ali Zaidi even wrote to the COAS to do the same. However the opposition – and the government – want the party to be given an opportunity to go through the motions in redefining itself.
MQM Pakistan has a lot to prove. While distancing from Altaf is welcome and necessary so is the ouster of the militant elements that are still present in the party.
To provide confidence to the MQM which complains of being sidelined its offices that are not built illegally need to be unsealed and the party should be allowed to operate like any other party. Any and all cases against MQM workers and leaders should be judged on the basis of solid proof.
As suggested by you, it is about time that the illegal bans and hindrances placed in the way of MQM are removed and the party is allowed to play its due role commensurate with the mandate that it holds in urban Sindh. Unfortunately the establishment whose involvement in politics has had grave consequences for the country, seems determined to replace MQM with PSP and does not seem prepared to give up on that and wants to score easy victory against MQM which does not even offer any resistance, while the same establishment is not moving with the same enthusiasm against madrasas the extremists among whom, through their product, are reported to have killed over 60,000 innocent Pakistani men, women and children, including 8,000 soldiers, with a serving Major General among them, apart from doing $ 10 billion worth of damage to country's ecomony. Surely, justice demands that the force used should be proportionate to the threats various groups present to the country and this picking on MQM, in a spirit of revenge, to the exclusion of far greater, even existential threats to the country, must stop, in the interest of the country and the nation.
After all, MQM is registered in the name of Dr. Farooq Sattar, the party operates in Pakistan and its top leadership in Pakistan has announced a complete break from Altaf Hussain and the London set up. MQM has even removed Altaf Hussain's name from the party flag and its MNAs have supported the resolution in the National Assembly against Altaf Hussain and his speech. Also, the overwhelming majority of MQM workers and followers who live and will die in Pakistan have whole-heartedly supported MQM's Pakistan leadership. In these circumstances, mutterings of the likes of Wasay Jalil are not only irrelevant but also positively disgusting. Surely, he is at liberty to leave MQM or else he may be expelled from the party. For a person with thinking like that of Wasay Jalil, there simply is no place in MQM neither would there be, I dare say, in Pakistan. While constructive criticism and reasoned disagreement are healthy things which lead to course correction but Altaf Hussain's outbursts fall in neither of these two categories and deserve outright condemnation and much more.
It is is not to deny the past services and sacrifices of Altaf Hussain to the Urdu-speaking community and indeed to Pakistan by breaking the tradition of Assembly membership being open only to the wealthy classes (apart from Jamaat-e-Islami), and making people of modest means members of Provincial and National Assemblies as well as the Senate. However, there comes a time in the life of all organizations when the old guard has to make way for the emerging leadership which is better acquainted with the needs of the times, the people it serves as well as that of the country. For MQM, such a time has definitely come, even though a bit belatedly. As such, the complete break announced by MQM's Pakistani leadership with the London setup is final and irrevocable, completely unaffected by the prevalent thinking in London.
How divorced from reality Wasay Jalil has become can be judged by his remark that in case Dr. Farooq Sattar presented a resolution in the National Assembly (against Altaf Hussain), "we will not accept it," as if he alone weighs heavier than all Assembly members. The fact is that such a resolution will receive overwhelming applause in the Assembly and passed almost unanimously.
I had thought that perhaps this is only Altaf Hussain who has become divorced from reality but I admit my mistake. There is at least one more similar character, and there may be more in London and elsewhere.
Karachi
Comments are closed.