Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday submitted a resolution in the National Assembly secretariat condemning Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s “anti-Pakistan” speech, and called upon the government to take action against him.
The decision to submit the resolution was agreed as a result of a decision taken by the PTI leadership.
The resolution condemned Hussain’s “hateful speech” — which, it says, “falls under treason against the armed forces of Pakistan” — his incitement of party workers to “take up arms and practice target shooting”, and his “invitation to Indian secret service ‘RAW’”.
The PTI called upon the government to take action against Hussain as laid out in the Constitution, and to urge the government of the United Kingdom to take action against the MQM leader as is applicable under British law.
The resolution appealed to the government to move the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in an inter-state petition under Article 20(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which relates to incitement of “national, religious or racial hatred” because “both Pakistan and the UK are party to the ICCPR”. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law.
Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.
The PTI resolution called upon the government to outlaw the broadcasting of his speeches in Pakistan, as under the Political Parties Act, he “cannot head a political party”, being a dual national.
Earlier this week, resolutions were passed in the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies requesting the government to take action against Altaf Hussain. The KP Assembly specifically requested the government to move against Hussain under Article 6 (treason) of the Constitution.
