Key leaders ask govt to lodge protest with UK

Urges MQM leaders to dissociate themselves from party chief

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of major opposition groups on Tuesday condemned the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s anti-Pakistan speech as they demanded that the government lodge protest with the United Kingdom for use of its soil against Pakistan’s interests.

They expressed their concern over incitement of violence against the media. After a controversial speech of Altaf Hussain, hundreds of MQM activists on Monday ransacked a private television station before clashing with police.



Commenting on the issue, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah demanded that the government immediately summon British High Commissioner to Pakistan and protest about the statement of ‘their citizen’.

“The government should protest before the envoy as to why his land is being used against Pakistan,” he said, adding: “It is the first time in the history of the country that a party leader has destroyed his own party so much.”



He said Altaf’s statement was a conspiracy against the country and India seemed to be behind this move to divert attention of Pakistan away from the ongoing violence in Indian-held Kashmir.

Leader of Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said the MQM chief delivered a grave speech by naming three TV channels and inciting people to attack them. “The MQM chief also ordered to shut down Sindh secretariat,” he said.

Ahsan also suggested that Urdu speakers should stay away from the MQM leader, “who has hurt them the most by giving his statement against Pakistan”.

He said those who attacked the media houses should be arrested through the videos.

Imran’s press conference

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan also demanded that the government approach the British government to take action against the MQM chief for ‘stoking violence’ in Pakistan.



“Which country would tolerate citizen of another country to utter such words about it and which country would let such political party to exist? Even [Indian Premier Narendra] Modi never used such language against Pakistan,” Imran said, while addressing media after a meeting of the PTI’s core group.

“It is Altaf Hussain who introduced terrorism in Pakistan,” he added.

Imran expressed surprise over the lukewarm response of the government over Monday ‘s speech. “The MQM chief is stoking violence in the port city and there is ample evidence of his connections with Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

He said Karachi was emerging in 1980s as the city of lights and would have been ahead of Dubai had there not been violence. “No government ever took action against the MQM because they have forged alliances with Altaf Hussain despite the fact that they knew everything about his party,” he said.

Responding to a question, Imran Khan clarified that every single member of the MQM is not terrorist and said,

When asked about the future of MQM, Imran said: “It’s future lies in disassociating itself from Altaf Hussain and militants. He does not let the second tier leadership of the party to emerge,” he added.

Moving SC against Nawaz

Imran said PTI has decided to approach the apex court against the PM. He also announced a ‘Pakistan March’ from September 3 with a Lahore rally to seek accountability of the Sharif family.

“Before knocking doors of the apex court, the PTI will pass a resolution in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, asking the state institutions as to what reasons they have for not taking action against those named in Panama leaks,” Imran said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2016.