Soon after Britain’s Scotland Yard police announced the arrest of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain in a hate speech case, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Mustafa Kamal said he stands vindicated regarding his standpoint against his former boss.
In an unprecedented tirade against Altaf ‘Sahib’, Kamal in 2016 had accused him of working against the state and deceiving the people of Pakistan.
Altaf was arrested on Tuesday by London’s Metropolitan Police in relation to a hate speech case in which he urged his followers to “take the law in their hands”.
“When Altaf Hussain chose the wrong path, I tried my best to convince him for five consecutive years… but to no avail. Hence, I had to part ways with him to rescue the Muhajir nation,” Kamal told a press conference in Karachi. “Today I am neither feeling happy neither sad over the arrest of Altaf Hussain.”
The PSP chief demanded an end to “discrimination against the Urdu-speaking community”. “Muhajirs do not stand with Altaf Hussain…discrimination and injustice against them should end,” he said.
Kamal said people belonging to the Urdu-speaking community should be given equal rights, quota system be abolished and Karachi mayor be given his due powers.
The former Karachi mayor said he introduced the narrative that Urdu speakers do not support Altaf’s anti-state views and slogans.
Criticising the MQM, Kamal said the party, despite knowing all about Altaf, did not oppose him but defended his all wrongdoings.
“I was attacked in Mirpurkhas on the behest on Altaf Hussain,” he claimed. “MQM-Pakistan did not have any objections over Altaf Hussain’s conduct, it was me, who, on March 3, 2016 took a stand against him and disapproved his anti-Pakistan narrative.”
