Zulfiqar Mirza raises the Holy Quran during a press conference at the Hyderabad Press Club. PHOTO: INP
Barely 48 hours after shaking up the country’s political landscape with his explosive press conference, former Sindh senior minister Zulfiqar Mirza on Tuesday decided to up the ante, repeating and adding to the many accusations he had previously hurled at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Addressing another press conference, this time at the Hyderabad Press Club, Mirza admitted that the average citizen does not have a favourable impression of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party owing to the current administration’s failure to deliver adequate services. He added that a band of ‘sycophants’ surrounded President Asif Ali Zardari – whom he continued to refer to as one of his closest friends – who prevented the president from seeing ‘the truth.’
Among those whom he specifically named as being responsible for the party’s state of affairs was once again Rehman Malik, whom he referred to with words that cannot be printed in this newspaper.
“I say this with sadness that we are not going to give Bilawal a good PPP and a good legacy,” said Mirza, who was once again holding up a copy of the Holy Quran during his press conference.
While his rhetoric had been somewhat harsh even on Sunday, Mirza’s words on Tuesday seemed to reach fever pitch, levelling highly incredible allegations against the MQM, accusing them once again of treason and even going so far as to say that the party was planning on acquiring nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
“The MQM is armed to the teeth with 150,000 AK-47 Kalashnkovs, around 15,000 rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank mines and mortars and is now in the process of procuring nuclear weapons with the help of Uncle Sam,” said Mirza, making the MQM sound more like a rogue state government than a political party.
He repeated his allegation that the MQM had been willing to work with foreign governments to dismember Pakistan and even work with the United States towards regime change in Iran.
(Read: Zulfiqar Mirza should go to court and present his proof, says MQM)
“Uncle Sam was looking for a cruel, ruthless and sordid entity in Pakistan, which would be ready to sell the country’s honour and dignity. They found it in a party which said ‘give me $500 million and finish ISI and we will do whatever you want’, such as allowing Blackwater [a US defence contractor, now called Xe Services] and other groups and also to occupy Iran,” claimed Mirza.
Among the more specific allegations levelled by Mirza was the charge that Babar Ghauri, the former minister for ports and shipping, used his position to divert some of the arms and ammunition meant for Nato forces in Afghanistan towards use by alleged MQM-backed militant and criminal groups.
Mirza cited media reports that several Nato containers have disappeared on their way to Afghanistan as evidence for this startling claim.
He even went so far as to say that the MQM’s attempts to rejoin the ruling coalition – something that the party has so far not been willing to do – were in fact the product of their desire to continue their efforts to use government positions to arms themselves, including, oddly enough, importing Scud missiles, a short-range ballistic missile that became famous for its use by Saddam Hussain during the First Gulf War in 1991.
Mirza also called upon people of all ethnic groups to wage a jihad, though he did not specify against whom. But this call for jihad was interspersed between his comments against the MQM, leading many to believe that his remarks were directed at that party.
(Read: Analysis – What now after Zulfiqar Mirza’s bombshell?)
“If you do not dare speak up against these criminals who tempt you with the prospect of a completed term, they will bring Uncle Sam and every Tom, Dick and Harry to exploit your land,” he said, in remarks that seemed to be directed towards the leadership of his own party.
Mirza also praised the Interservices Intelligence (ISI) as a ‘well-organised, patriotic and well-trained’ entity that was ‘100% dedicated to the motherland.’
The former Sindh cabinet minister also highlighted the role of Sindhi politicians in the creation of Pakistan, saying that he did not feel the need to be grateful to another ethnic group for the creation of the country.
“It was these same so-called illiterate, stupid, feudal, aristocratic, lazy fat-cats in the Sindh Assembly who voted for the Pakistan Resolution,” said Mirza sarcastically, referring to the pre-Partition support for the creation of Pakistan by the then-provincial legislature in Sindh.
Mirza also claimed that the forefathers of several senior PPP leaders – including the fathers of Hafeez Pirzada, Hussain Haroon and the Khuhro family – were at the forefront of the movement for the creation of Pakistan, and asked what roles the fathers of senior MQM leaders, including Altat Hussain and Farooq Sattar, played in the Pakistan Movement.
When Mirza then opened up the floor for questions, he was asked by Farhan Effendi, the Hyderabad bureau chief for ARY One World, about this, though Effendi conflated Mirza’s questioning of the sacrifices of MQM leaders with that of all muhajirs. Mirza was upset at this mischaracterisation of his remarks and started yelling at Effendi, at which point Mirza’s guards started beating the journalist.
Only when the entire journalist community present protested did Mirza’s guards stop. Under pressure from the reporters, Mirza later apologised for the behaviour of his guards.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2011.
Keep going………… Keep exposing………….. Hopefully, someone will wakeup…………….
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Mirza Sb. Please write down a book and say all at once !!
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whom he is telling? Everybody knows it and they, as usual will turn deaf ear to it. But this man got great courage to speak against MQM. Hopefully, this brave man will n0t see his end in Boori
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hundreds of nato bound containers went missing..why…this must be investigated and nation be taken into confidence in this regards.can MR.CHIEFE JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN look into this very important matter by taking suo moto action.
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Why did he forget this in the first news conference? Script wasnt complete?
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Stop these news conference present facts in the court and in front of PAC….
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This is very serious allgation…as a very concerned citizen of pakistan I request Mr.chiefe justice of Pakistan to take suo moto action and investigate this matter as one thing is true that hundreds of containers went missing.
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Wow. This man is on fire. Kudos to ZM!
Regards,
Rehan
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This is very serious allegations..one thing is very true that hundreds of nato bound containers went missing.why…..as a very much concerned pakistani I appeal to Mr.Chiefe Justice of pakistan to take suo moto action and conduct judicial probe in this regards.
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May Allah protect ZM for speaking the truth & everybody knows all that he is saying is true. I think he forgot to mention the fire that engulfed the shipping buliding near Clifton-it was a deliberate fire to destroy all the evidence about cargo in ships and happened when Ghauri was the Minister of Shipping. Allah will hold accountable Musharraf too because he was the hakim when all this happened. All the ammunition that went missing is being used to kill innocent karachites. Do we have a bold judiciary to give us justice? Allah will hold them accountable too. The accountability factor is for those who believe in Allah and his accountability of us all, not for the non-believing Muslims.
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Hats off to Mirza….Long live mirza..keep on exposing our country need brave people like u and Chief Justice !!!!
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no wonder now we see sophisticated LMG’s and HMG’s in karachi … karachi needs a unbiased clean up
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but this time even Media ignored him…
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Strange democracy in Pakistan where MQM is holy cow of some kind.. perhaps mad cow??
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@asma riaz@london:
If you knew it then why didnt you come up? I pray you are ruled for ever by these feudals
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This is a fact that hundreds of containers have gone missing….Isreali weapon are being used indiscriminately.
Objective seems to be to create a civil war between Pakistanis in Karachi.Then one community will ask international forces to save them from genocide.U.N will pass resolution to help in the civil war.
Destruction of Pakistan will be started in Karachi.
But God willing they will fail badly in their nefarious designs.Citizens of Pakistan are brothers & will always remain brothers.
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Mirza is a great and brave person..He is like a tiger..He has the courage to expose MQM..Recommend
Zulfileaks…!
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I cannot believe the press is taking him seriouslyRecommend
@Chengez K:
they will fail badly??? how do you expect the end to come… The person who is on record of saying Pakistan Nakhappay is considered its biggest saviour…. The end is near it is better to know the faults and work than to deny and be caught
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Things are clearing up a day after ZM’s tirade at the Press Club. It is getting apparent that having failed to dislodge MQM’s primacy in Urban Sindh through normal political means, and after getting thoroughly discredited by introducing the LB system, a new phase is being lodged to sway the Sindhi population towards PPP. For a change the Sindhi nationalist parties were beginning to gain some grounds, though minimal. Now the wizards in PPP have thought to embark on this journey. Let’s see where it leads. One can be sure though that it will not lead to anywhere good. Only good politics, good strategy, and good governance help the people. Shenanigans like these in the end not only amount to nothing they waste people’s time and energy. Now, the population, which already suffers from dogmatic illusions are influenced by the fact that ZM was holding the Quran while he was giving his statements so he must be absolutely truthful. Fact is that ZM conveniently did not comment as to who were the killers of Sher Shah Kabadi market and many other similar incidences. If I was him, giving statements of being die-hard Shia, I would have resigned immediately after failing to protect the 43 innocent victims of the Ashura procession couple of years ago. Shame on him and shame on the people who get swayed by antics of these characterless people. My statements in no way endorses the MQM, by the way. MQM also has much to be accountable for. And they should start by methodically and honestly responding to ZM’s allegations, however prepostorous they may be. It is not enough for MQM to just say that ZM should present his case in front of the court.
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@Born Again Pakistani:
Issue is not who is saying but what is being said…..
Pakistani’s are being butchered in Karachi……foreign weapons are being used to create civil war & anarchy
Pakistanis ahve realized this criminal game plan that is being hatched in world capitals…..they will fail!!!
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There is something fishy about this person. His actual agenda is yet to come. Lets see what he is upto.
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Its new kind of politics we are looking at is it pakistan syasat will change for ever.
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Zulfiqar Mirza, why dont you mention how your cartel conspired to raise sugar prices in Pakistan? And how your people tortured and killed Urdu speakers in Lyari??
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@Born Again Pakistani:
And what about the person who is on record to have said THE CREATION OF PAKISTAN IS THE BIGGEST BLUNDER OF THE CENTURY?
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Wow, so now even NATO can’t do anything against MQM.
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@Fuzzy … if you man know that their is no formal agreement between GOP and NATO for these supplies and NATO doesnt run their operations in karachi so isnt it obvious that thy dont ve control of things here in karachi ?
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Best is to take it to court and have the rule of law decide on the culprits!
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He did indeed.
http://youtu.be/xh7gakLPC10
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Its really funny to know that NATO containers were also missing due to MQM, Recommend
I doubt anything will happen because the courts and the CJ are in cahoots with the government. The silence of PML(N) is also telling of the fact that no one wants to upset the status quo(pain, misery and death for the Pakistani citizen).
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A thousand containers went missing and under ZM’s nose ? He was even the HM them , midn you ? How incomptenet of ZM .Tsk Tsk .
Maybe ZM would enlighten our thought process by naming the killers of Benzir Bhutto , oh yes , ofcourse placing the Holy book on his head and also how come he appointed 10,000 police personnel on his own ( remeber his press conference ? ‘ I didnot let a single Urdu speaking got selected “……… Right ? Now what say thou ……?
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His speech will show a good result for the future of Pakistan.. may ALLAH secures our country. amen
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the man has lost all his credibility in one day!.. hamid mir exposed him on capital talk last night as the victims who escaped the butchery in liyari openly declared that the baloch in lyari or the aman committee were forcing the innocent captured ppl to praise mirza infront of the camera before they were choppd in pieces.. and then today his press conference his reality came out as he lashed out and had the ary journalist beaten up for asking a question which he couldnt answer.. ppl need to wake and realize that anything to do with ppp and pml n.. is corrupt..lies and Epic Failure.. imran khan and musharraf only hope..
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@Hassan:
That’s a good thing
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Well even if he yells & other speaks calmly…I still consider him more truthful…His allegations are authentic & MQM has still not answered a lot of things which is perhaps very hard for them to do even…What about letter to Blair which is even available on BBC’s website…If that letter is truth(which can b seen) then how can I believe that all other allegations of Mirza are wrong..
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And yes having great fathers mean having great sons .. so a common man cannot run for elections MR MIRZA??
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The media is missing a trick here. One of you media organisations needs to pay him for exclusive rights to his rants. That way you edge out your competitors.
I think this guys is just unhappy that he couldn’t get any of those scud missiles himself. Also that uncle sam didn’t offer him a bribe.
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ZM should produce a certificate proving that he is mentally stable
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Blame MQM for everything – all trouble, bloodshed, ransom, murders etc.
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Well Mirza Saab now you waked up where the Majir have occupied every thing in Karachi, but there is two powers who can save the Pakistan 1st Pak Army and 2nd Paskhtuns by the Grace of Allah.
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I feel pity for Mirza! He really needs some psycho therapy and anti-anxiety pills.
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Im with you ZM, Jihad against the traitors of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pak revolution here we Go!
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Should i laugh or what?
MQM trying to procure Nukes importing Scud missiles, a short-range ballistic missile
This man seriously needs to see a good mental doctor.
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HE REALLY NEEDS A PSYCHO THERAPY FOR THE POLITICAL HEALTH OF THE COUNTRY.
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so muslim refugees from india are traitors now? Juat shows how cohesive the ethnic groups are in Pakistan these days. And they want to add kashmir to this confusion.
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Mirza needs to be heard,his allegations investigated independently and law be allowed to take it’s own course.I feel what he is saying has elements of truth
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The only nuclear weapons and scuds that are going off are in Mirza’s head. He should get an early appointment with Dr. Mobin Akhtar and get institutionalized.
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@Naeem Siddiqui: If you ask me, feel sorry for the people of Pakistan. Mirza shakes up the system and speaks the truth and everyone is out to demonize him. I watched GEO news in which they try to show the MQM spokesperson calmly spinning his version of the truth while they kept showing an irate Mirza at the press conference. You could tell that the news station was trying to support MQM by showing Mirza in only one context. It won’t wash because many Pakistanis can see through this game. We need to follow up on his allegations against the MQM and save Pakistan. We all know Altaf Hussain has spoken against Pakistan when he travels to India.
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Well done, Zullfiqar Mirza. You have given voice to the silent but coward majority. Down with Bhatta Khori!
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Anti aircraft guns? Nuclear arms? Anti tank mines? Seriously people, enjoy this side how till it
lasts.
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hehe. Why did he go to the Hyderabad press club? Recommend
Zulfi Leaks :P uncle SAM have better ways to track his stuffs. He is so funny
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Zulfi Leaks: In next press conference MQM have Drones :P
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First time a honest coverage where media is accepting that reporter was twisting facts to portray Zulfiqar Mirza as anti Urdu speaking. Wonder why this does not happen with mqm press conference.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfFNcizWvwM
: D
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this man is a hard core racist and wants to divide the urdu speakers and sindhis. He is trying to gain popularity by fanning tribal/language hatred between communities. He holds the quran kareem and says all words of fitna. Its just terrible. His guards even beat a reporter for asing a question. terrible. some action must be taken against this man to prevent further bloodshed in Karachi, Hyderabad and other parts of interior sindh.
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@Asad …
He explained his family background and its not hidden from anyone … his family is composed of punjabi’s memon and urduspeaking … so how does that makes him even close to racist … anyone going against MQM doesnt mean he is going against urduspeaking people …
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He is speaking the truth and it’s obvious. I would like to see the comments of those trolls who said that he might not be holding a Quran in the first press conference. I am sick of pro-mqm channels like Ary who feel it’s necessary to broadcast every single phone call the maniac from London does and to imagine the mischief of the reporter so he cuddle with him Altaf is unbearable.
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Mitrza is the true son of Pakistan. And enjoys the full support of the silent majority. Keep going and exposing and youwill prevail
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“MQM is reaponsible for sinking the Titanic and the two World Wars” – Zulfiqar Mirza
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People keep on looking towards the judiciary to take action. It will be an exercise in futility. first of all the courts will get no witnesses. Individuals will not come forward or be killed. Even if there is some conclusion or conviction drawn by the courts, it will not be implemented.
The issue is lack of execution on part of the administration because they are scared or corrupt or both.
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@pakistani: don’t forget to mention that Capital Talk also showed a Pathan and a Balauch who claimed to have been kidnapped and beaten by Mohajirs and escaped being killed. When you speak please quote full facts without putting on a spin. By the way most of those killed in Karachi are Pathans and Balauchis. Many of the Mohajirs that have been killed are supporters of either the religious parties or the PPP.
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@Born Again Pakistani! fail to understand your meaning, ‘why didn’t you come up’?.It is better to be ruled by feudals than by Assasins. One can fight and come out of the feudal rule vs target killers and Mir Jaffars!!!!
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Way to go Mr.Zulfiqar – I’m glad to see someone like you-
Only you could break the ice – You said all what people already knew but it had mattered only after you had said -
Thank you
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Very creative you are Mr. Mirza, perhaps use it somewhere productive.
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@Salman Oranigwala:
Need you had to pass your two pence?
I am not defending Mirza, but at least one should not lie on a public forum and should, try at least, to not show that you are biased.
You chose not to mention HONOURABLE MINIster babar ghauri. A thousand containers went missing under the long-term MQMite Babar Ghauri’s nose, remember if you, he was the ports minister. This minister hasn’t come up with any investigative findings. Your style is nothing new by the way. MQMites cry wolf every now and then, accuse the government of wrong-doing, every now and then, even when they are part of the same government (EVERY NOW AND THEN).
He didn’t say he didn’t elect a single Urdu-speaking or Muhajir for that matter, he said he didn’t recruit any MQMites. Understand the difference.
Such attempts only add fuel to fire. Stop with immediate effect, can you please. Oh, maybe you chose to forget!
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well done mirza
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Although some of ZM’s accusations against the MQM appear to be correct, he has gone overboard in his second press conference at Hyderabad. What casts doubt on his credibility is his continued affirmation of his friendship with and loyalty to Mr Zardari. The latter may be a clever politician as far as domestic power politics is concerned, his reputation and past record does not inspire much confidence. Secondly, all of ZM’s charges of sedition against MQM also implicate the PPP government directly as well as indirectly. The missing containers he is talking about could not have gone missing without the complicity or at least the incompetence of PPP government both at the center and in Sindh.
The general perception about Zardari’s ‘truthfulness’ is no better than about Rehman Malik.
The people want peace, and the end of dirty politics of lies, hypocrisy and so-called reconciliation among bhatta khors and killers!!
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Nukes, scud missile…hahhahhahhahha..for whom? where MQM will drop these nukes? the man needs a break
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We would believe everythig Mirza rants , if just once he takes up the Holy book once again and EXPLAINS how he became ,from an MBBS doctor , to the owners of several sugar mills of Sindh. Period .
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I cannot stop to say this after reading all these above mentioned comments that our nation is in great danger because where people make mirza as a hero then you can imagine what it could be possible.I am not a supporter of any political party but I believe can someone answer me that is this OK to say “it will not be a big deal to sacrifice even 10000 people in order to remove MQM from karachi.” For God sake, please stop this nonsense and start thinking constructive not destructive any more. Please do not give the people like mirza more importance because look at his credibility..”Action speaks louder than voice” what he is doing, its obvious that he is protecting terorists in karachi.
He made this drama on the same day when the operation happened in lyari. It’s my humble request if you don’t believe then you should see those innocent victim’s family that suffered in the recent genocide against them that there only mistake was that they use to speak there national language. What is this..are we still living in the Pharaohs dynasty.
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This man, really needs to go to the mental hospital, MQM acquiring scud missiles and nuclear weapons. Zulfikar Mirza it is your anti-Muhajir behavior that has lead to the genocide of so many innocent people in Karachi for the last three years…..True the Sindhis did pass the Pakistan Resolution but they did not sacrificed their lives for the creation of this nation state in 1947..
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@Dadabhoy
Had you not been sleeping in your mathematics classes , by now you would have understood the simple euqation ,in the hierarchy of portfolio , an Interior minister of a province yields more power than a Port minister .
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@Raja Islam:
Since were talking biased reporting. I wonder why the party that won 17 of 20 parlimentry seats in the city of Karachi isn’t represented on such shows…while the parties that have less than 10% of the stake in Karachi are speaking out the most. What about the mandate? Let the stake holders speak.
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Since Mr Mirza had resigned as a minister and also declared that he is leaving politics, the best option for him was to take a holiday and go abroad to give a much needed rest to his over worked mind. He can even come to India and join any Art of living centre which would help him to attain peace of mind which he badly needs.
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LOOK WHO IS SAYING, this is the same guy who declared few months back that they were planning to break Pakistan before Zardari’s KHAPAY slogan. Points arise, is he and his group equipped enough with weapons so that they can even think of such act. Why he distributed 3 LAK licenses, to whom and how they funded these weapons. Why he presented his Resignation Drama as soon as the LIYARI operation was waged, huge weapons, torture cell and criminals were recovered. Why he always gives provocative statement, is he following the policy of PPP. Why he is enhancing hatred on lingual basis. May ALLAH bring peace and long live PAK. AMEENRecommend
The most interesting part of ur column is the last one that the ARY reporter dare to ask the question and suddenly his guards beet him up. and later apologize. lets wait for his apology this time. I hope u agree b/c this is a real face of Mirza SahabRecommend
I am v happy that someone is their to talk against ALTAF HUSSAIN ,who WANTS TO DESTROY PAKISTAN.SO PLS GO AND SUPPORT MIRZA IF U WANT TO SAVE PAKJSTAN.
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The only comments wh all thes facts when its happening and when this man is in power. This is as usal part of the game. The Blame on MQM should be clarified. But this is not intrest of ZM, PPP, PML (n), ANP or jamat. All wants to get som credit to somohow break vote bank in Karachi, If all knows, if ISI , Army everyone knows and not done anything. Then belive this is new game in hide out of so called of patriotism. Look Who is saying for ISI and Amry for country, whos party and people were actualy charged for terrosim for Hijacking, and break pakistan. I dont know who will do what, but once again after 1971, PPP and ZM are involve one more conspiracy of repeating 1971 event.
But one this for sure, Atleast karachities and urdu speaking people who made pakistan, will stand against them, even at the cost of there lives to save Pakistan.
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