Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s Sunday announcement that he would be observing a hunger strike until death outside the official residence of the British prime minister has been laughed away by Pakistani leaders as inconsequential.
According to the MQM leader, his party would release more details about the protest as soon as it was approved by the British authorities. “Party leaders will also go on a hunger strike if Altaf Hussain carries it out,” the MQM chief had said.
No major political party in the country is taking the announcement seriously. Some have dubbed it another instance of theatrics on part of the MQM leader while others have asked him not to make it conditional to approval by British authorities.
Hussain had made the announcement to mark his protest against the alleged torture and victimisation of MQM leaders at the hands of law enforcement agencies in Pakistan.
Commenting over the announcement by MQM chief, Awami National Party (ANP) Senior Vice President Haji Mohammad Adeel, termed the strike ‘mere rhetoric’ and said that those who are serious in carrying hunger strikes until death do not seek permissions.
“If he is apprehensive about not being given permission he can go to Hyde Park instead, there is no limitation on any sort of protest there,” the senior ANP leader said while talking to Pakistan Today. Adeel said that if Altaf Hussain makes the protest hunger strike conditional he would never get permission from the British government.
Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Senator Saeed Ghani said that it was the right of any human being to observe a hunger strike and so was the case with Altaf Hussain.
“We would request him not to go for hunger strike even if he is determined to do so. It would be better for the MQM leader to go for a symbolic hunger strike instead.”
Asked to elaborate his viewpoint, Ghani said it would be difficult for Hussain to observe the hunger strike until death as the British government would not allow him to do so, nor would he be able to do it. “There might be some other problems for Hussain. So it would advisable for the MQM leader not to go for a hunger strike till death,” concluded the PPP leader.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Dr Arif Alvi said that it was the MQM leader’s basic human right, like any other human being, to observe hunger strike till death. However, the PTI leader said that the legal proceedings against the MQM leadership in courts should continue unabated.
Despite repeated efforts, no MQM leader based in Pakistan agreed to make a comment over the hunger strike announcement by Altaf Hussain.
