The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief, Altaf Hussain, never stays out of the headlines for long. This time, at an iftari hosted by the MQM, he called on Karachi’s businessmen to buy whatever sophisticated weapons they could, including A-3s and Kalashnikovs, in order to deal with extortionists. Mr Hussain suggested that even if bribes needed to be paid, these weapons should be acquired as the business community had no other means to deal with the ‘bhatta’ mafia. He also said that the MQM would be willing to provide 100,000 men to help the business community protect itself. He pointed out that traders were already spending huge sums of money paying ‘bhatta’ and may as well hire bodyguards instead.
Mr Hussain’s remarks came in the presence of Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other senior government officials, who all appeared embarrassed by the contents of his speech. Mr Hussain stated that they had failed to protect people and also asked Mr Malik why he spoke so often of an operation in Lyari when none took place, day after day and week after week. This is not the only attack Mr Malik faced. He was also asked why he was calling the people of Balochistan ‘terrorists’ or ‘anti-national elements’, when in fact, they were victims of the security forces0. His criticism of the government also covered other areas and he stated that while he opposed any division of Sindh there may be no choice left in the future.
Mr Malik made an attempt to defend the government and also lavished the MQM chief with praise, saying it was because of him that the government was still intact. This, however, hardly covered up all that Mr Hussain had said. His remarks obviously come as a sharp rebuke to the government and send a tremor to the uneasy coalition that exists. A major national leader calling on people to take up arms is in some ways highly disquieting and indicates the times of trouble we have run into in Karachi and indeed everywhere else.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2012.
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When State is not able to secure life and capital of her citizens and instead of protecting innocent citizens giving shelter, cover and protection to criminals, bandit and extortionist then helpless people have no other choice except to take arms for self-defense because Islam doesn’t allow to accept the supremacy of oppressors – Karachi runs Pakistan and if we weaken Karachi means death to Pakistan, so instead of criticizing MQM and Altaf Hussain you should come forward and support to those who are trying to secure Karachi and Pakistan.
I am 100% agreed with Mr. Hussain suggestion. I vigorously demand MQM to please deploy its workers and protect my business from criminals of banned organizations. I am willing to bear all costs. I am sick and tired of paying Bhatta every month.
Business community is agreed with Altaf Hussain suggestion so what's the problem folks? Is MQM asking you to join or raise arm no simply he saided hire u own personal security guard or MQM workers will provide security for them. Let me say this most ofthe people who here blogging here don't even lives in pakistan or even in Karachi and they don't waist any time say something against MQM. One person was bragging about Quadiazam because of him we are in bad shape he divided the Muslims and now are nothing but in three diffrent nations. I wish our grand fathers have listened to Mulana Abull kalama.
Pretty annoyed with the comments of ignorant people up there (not all of them)......People have no clue about the situation of Karachi but yet they have to open their gutters to Bash MQM and specially Altaf Hussain. Karachi IS providing 70% of the national revenue. If the business is going down the whole country will be suffering and going down. No political party has guts to stand up with the Business Community of Karachi but MQM. The fact that Altaf Hussain has not asked the people to raise guns and start killing everybody but to provide his Men, (which ONLY an organized party like MQM can do) to provide the security to the Business Community as NONE of the Law Enforcement Agencies or Political Parties or Ruling Party is interested in and the Businessmen in Karachi are dying left and right so does their business.
Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense. Self-defense is Nature's eldest law. Altaf Hussain’s call is because of the rise in crime, and the tried-and-tested efforts by the MQM in 2007 and 2009 of initiating neighbourhood watches.
One and only daring leader who got the ability to speak truth in front of any one. this is not first time i remember long time ago he was vocal against all senior politicians in Shalimar Bagh Lahore on invitation of Lahore mayor - there he specifically address people of lahore to come and find representative from their neighbourhood.
The President of the Country Lives in Clifton in Karachi and Karachi is right now home to the most henous crimes in Pakistan. I Think MQM has proposed a direction of protecting yourself if the government is not opting to. Without Government support the crimes would never take place. Businesses and Industries if shut will damage Pakistan further. Already over 5000 established businesses have left. Now the only option is to protect your home by yourself. Although it would seem a drastic measure but it applies to a simple saying...when no one will do it ...I will do it myself----and that's what MQM Leader Altaf Hussain is pragmatically asserting here.
Indeed the situation seemed worst and the govt ineffectiveness is also not ignorable. For the business comuunity of Karachi in particular and for a common Citizen in general taking up arm to protect themselves remains the only solution. For the few inttelectuals criticizing it, the are either not feeling the pain or have so much political biasness toward the common citizen of Karachi that they seems the solution as problem nd have never condemned the problem. God keep my Karachi save
Altaf bahi , first drop your weapons as we karchiite are too frighten from you n MQM rather than Taliban.
Your cautious editorial really proves your point made at the end of the editorial, viz. "A major national leader calling on people to take up arms is in some ways highly disquieting and indicates the times of trouble we have run into in Karachi and indeed everywhere else" You have, however, carefully avoided commenting on Altaf bhai’s desperate call for members of the business community to either take up arms or let his "100,000 workers" 'protect' them! This also indicates how much water has flown under the bridge since our great leader, Quaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah did not, for a moment, advocate taking up arms even against a colonial government, and defeated it politically within the parameters of its own laws. This shows how the quality of our leadership has deteriorated. The sitting government's Interior Minister present at the Iftar Party showed no reaction to this open call to take up arms, nor did he have a convincing answer to the accusations from a leader of one of the parties of the ruling coalition! Your editorial should have been more substantive, and you should have analysed the repercussions of the move suggested by the MQM leader. If there were will on the part of the parties in power, this bhatta khori would long ago have been brought to an end. There is still time that those responsible for law and order and ending crime became serious and successfully controlled things that are leading inexorably towards a collapse of the national economy.
@Irshad khan If we were so babbaric then why your forfather migrated ???
Altaf should contact Maoists who may not only readily help Karachi businessmen but also others throughout Pakistan and which would indirectly help India as well.
How is this an editorial? It just recounts and reports, with some casual comments at the end. Where is the considered and original opinion on Altaf Hussain's statements?
Most of the people in Pakistan talk in terms of arms and arms running (hatiar hamara zewar hae). Altaf Hussain, representing and unquestioned leader of most civilised people of this country, has been compelled to speak in the language of these barbaric tribes.
I am just dreaming, if there was no Altaf Hussian, how peaceful our country could be....
I myself have seen these guys extorting...!!!...so no further question.
MQM makes me laugh, seriously. MQM itself takes bhatta.
@Ijaz Mir:
Totally agree. He is mad at this new competition. He wants all for himself.
and whosw going to protect Karachis business community from his men?
He is a good jobs creator hundred thousand kidnappers will get job and love MQM its like a cat guard the milk factory.
inventors talk.
MQM used to collect all the bhatta, looks like some one else is doing this.Bhatta collection.
At the end he said what he want. Take up the arms like his mercenaries to bleed the country. He was coming closer to his dream of Jinnah Pur. Through peaceful means his dream is not possible. Allah save us from the shadow of devil. Mr. Rahman let him go out of the coalition; I am sure he will not survive. He is terrorizing people with having state power.
G.A Altaf
Love how you reported the incident but didnt condemn his call to pick up a gun. Chickens
Altaf Bhai has cleverly tried to prove his party workers clean out of the Bhatta blame game. But, what a pity! Every single Karachiite knows that it's nothing but a Chor machaye shor topi-drama.
High time for Karachi...whatever Altaf bhai said was after much deliberation and I myself believe there is no way out then to get down and deal with this maniac. Altaf bhai is damn correct and we are with him!!
@Saladin Chamchawalla: bahahahaha!! well said
A3 (size of paper bigger than A4) or "G-3" (like the gun) ????
Preaching what he practices and practices what he preaches; man of words and deeds! Her Majesty must be proud of Her "Loyal Subject." Knighthood is on the way "Sir" Altaf!
Altaf Bhai bashing all others like a boss!