Altaf is mistaken if he thinks India can help him in any way.
Whenever Altaf Hussain has a drop too much he is bound to go off his rocker. Once back to his senses he makes apologies with solemn promises to abstain from poppycock of the sort in future. People take notice of Altaf’s periodic outbursts only because he happens to be the leader of an MQM faction operating from London which claims it enjoys the support of the bulk of Urdu speaking community in Sindh.
The MQM-P leaders not only tolerated but also defended Altaf Hussain’s irresponsible remarks of the sort too long. Even when they were finally compelled by circumstances to cut off ties with their erstwhile role model this was done hesitantly for concerns of being isolated from the party’s rank and file and fear of the MQM’s militant wing which remains under Altaf Hussain’s thumb. Even now both MQM-P and PSP want the establishment to take on Altaf’s die hard supporters instead of politically isolating the faction on their own. While dealing with MQM factions the establishment apparently remains wedded to the theory of biological pest control encouraging the three groups to neutralise one another. The policy has harmed Karachi in the past and is likely to do so in the future.
In his latest outburst Altaf Hussain has issued an appeal to Indian Prime Minister to speak out for the rights of the Mohajirs. Referring to the Urdu speaking population of Sindh as “your own people in Karachi,” he claims that their fore-fathers made a big mistake by migrating to Pakistan, but their descendants are not accepted as sons of the soil. There is enough to give lie to Altaf’s false claims. From the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to the present President several Urdu speaking politicians have served the country while Gen (rtd) Pervez Musharraf ruled for nine years as an all powerful President-cum-COAS besides the community having produced several generals and top bureaucrats, many still playing an important role side by side with people of other ethnicities.
