KARACHI: The heat has been building since November 28 when the Supreme Court called for electoral constituencies to be redrawn in Karachi in a bid to ease the homicide rate. On Sunday, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) came out with all its fury, demanding that the judges apologise for “insulting people of the city”.
"It is not the job of the judges to decide electoral constituencies," said MQM chief Altaf Hussain, speaking to tens of thousands of people at a congregation. "The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is responsible for that."
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry should take suo moto notice of the special Supreme Court bench, which made irresponsible remarks on the delimitation of constituencies while hearing a case on the poor law and order in the city, he said.
In a speech laden with references from Islamic scriptures, he said that the MQM’s enemies were using the Supreme Court to wipe out his party. "The order is against democracy. Only people have the right to decide which party holds a majority."
Redrawing constituencies will not improve the law and order but would worsen it, he said, adding that a similar order should have been passed for other parts of the country.
"Why don’t the judges redraw constituencies of the feudal lords who have made constituencies according to their wishes and have been ruling their constituents for generations?"
The MQM will not let anyone infringe on the democratic right of the people, he said. "The judges have violated Article 25-B of the Constitution. The article says all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law," he said.
Altaf Hussain said that new constituencies cannot be made in any case before the census. "The Delimitation Act of 1974 says first a census has to be conducted. Even the [Supreme Court] order violated that law."
The Supreme Court bench ordered the election commission to complete the delimitation of constituencies in Karachi in a way that no party can have a ‘monopoly’, which was against the law and the Constitution, he said.
"No judge has the right to order the election commission to stop a party from having a ‘monopoly’. It is the right of the people to give a mandate to a party."
He asked legal experts and the media to decide if the Supreme Court order was fair. "Do you want people in Karachi to shout slogans for freedom as well? Don’t take us as weak."
He quoted a former chief of army staff who had said ahead of the 1992 operation against the party that Hussain’s ‘chapter has closed’. He thundered in response: "Altaf Hussain is alive."
Other party leaders said that the MQM believes it is being cornered to make way for other political forces in its stronghold of Karachi. "For us this order is just a manifestation of some greater plan and we will resist it," said a leader on the sidelines of the gathering.
COMMENTS (36)
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People like talking non sense and degrade themselves with little help of their stupidity. The sovereignty of Pakistan lies in Democracy. After accepting this fact democracy works in compliance with the country's constitution. If someone is having issues to what Altaf Hussain said should go to court! On the other hand it will be near to impossible to reshape constituencies with this city unless the population wants it to be. We are very sorry for the supporters and well wishers of Army and establishment who have created diverted mindsets among naive people therefore manipulating them for their own benefit. It's a shame! Karachi remains for Karachiites, its their generous attitude and brought in cultural attributes which have made Karachi an economic Hub of the country. The people who have contributed for this city are the reason of the birth of Pakistan. Please correct the ambiguity, Pakistan is not a gift for feudal tribesmen which is awarded by some corrupt east India company's governor for large scale betrayal as it used to be in the pre 1947 era. It's a sovereign state. Learn to live with this truth.
An effort has been made to pitch two major political parties and various ethnic communities against each other in Sindh via ruling on delimitations of constituencies only in Karachi on frivolous basis.Similar effort has been made through Kalabagh dam ruling to malign Punjab and pitch provinces against each other. People of Pakistan beware of evil designs and tread carefully.
its nothing new, since the creation of Pakistan people who migrated from india after their forefathers gave huge sacrifices have just suffered by the hands of military and civil establishment. like bengalies we "people of karachi" will never get equal rights. rest of the pakistan will just consider us as a second class citizen exactly the way they did with the people of Bangladesh.
"In a speech laden with references from Islamic scriptures, he said that the MQM’s enemies were using the Supreme Court to wipe out his party. “The order is against democracy. Only people have the right to decide which party holds a majority."
This is what he said in the article read it and tell me where is the threat to judiciary.
I do not understand why MQM is worried they are very popular whether boundaries are drawn or not drawn MQM will still win. So why altaf bhai is worried.
Supreme Court Khappay
I wanted to contribute some saner opinion on the subject but decided not to because the executioner moderator doesn't like to pass and include my views in the blog.
Judges became 1971 general
90% votes already go to MQM then why MQM is afraid of delimitation??
I think just looking down at MQM all the time will not solve Pakistan's problems Pakistan have been ruled by scumbags for more then 50 years my question to the people of Pakistan is what and where is their plan to save Pakistan from Dishonest Politicians, Judges, Army, Police, Gangbangars, and Sardars, Khans, Waderas and Chauderys.
MQM's mandate is fake
Wow what to say on this statement of Quaid e Tahreek!! Judiciary and ECP are ordering undoing wrong delimitation and gerrymandering done in Karachi but so called democratic party MQM is crying against it. Wrong delimitation and gerrymandering are pre-poll rigging. This is indeed a test case for ECP's reputation too, whether it bows down before threats of political party or it take solid stand with impartiality and rectify wrong delimitation and bring boundaries of constituencies in proper shape. It is evident, those who have been beneficiaries of unfair and illegal delimitation, they will resist it with hooks and crooks but keep it up ECP and SC. And dont bow down before pressures of those groups and parties. Whole Pakistan is with you.
if he really holds the vote bank here then he should have no problem in redrawing the constituencies.
Isn't he is a real don. Pakistani bal Thackery....
Down with the Kangaroo court .They think they can impose their nefarious wills on us . Will be eagerly waiting for the same .If thses demarcation bru ha ha is so important ,dear judge supremo , start it from your home town named probably lahore or Jhelum .
Supreme court is right all the way! It is not to break the monopoly but to remove the no go areas.
Why doesn't he participate in UK elections , He is a British citizen . He should just leave Pakistan alone
lol Look at all the MQM cyber karkunan using Pashtun screen names..Great strategy
This is done great by the court one hose had reportedly 600 + voters according to ECP in karachi. I think ECP shold re examin all the cites and town of Pakistan in the same manner
It's becoming stranger and weirder. What do they want with Karachi? Karachi is the backbone of Pakistan's economy. Karachi is the city that has given shelter to maximum number of refugees from all over. Yet there's so much discrimination everywhere against Karachiites and Urdu-speaking people, in particular.
On a side note, it's about time the Supreme Court of Pakistan should register itself as a political instituition.
As a matter of fact, Altaf Bhai is right,
Relasing thousands of Alqaeda, Taliban , SSP, LJ terrorists, Pressurisong elected government unethically while appeasing military and indirectly giving it a clean chit And fullfilling wishlist of ISI zia-gul group from karachi to khyber in a 'constitutional' way when musical chair of 90's style is no longer possible.. So What else one should expect from ISI Zia-Gul group sponsored Judges???
@F Khan: If the courts advised it for the whole of Pakistan, the MQM will say "No its not enough it should for the whole south asia and then the whole asia and then the whole world.
Altaf Hussain is in his element when he warns Judges that their “names will be wiped out.” Does this not constitute a violation of law when a threat to wipe out someone is made. How would a police react in the UK if such words were expressed???
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Judges are doing the right thing. If you think you can win elections and that people support you in Karachi, you shouldn't get scared. You're scared because you think you might lose some seats, since the court is not allowing you to rig elections this time.
Delimitation khappay!
Finally its all coming out, brave judges, its not right to threaten judges.
,You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. Abraham Lincoln.
Yes I am agree with Mr Altaf Hussain that there is only Allah SWT who can only end the dark night of MQM InshAllah.
"He warned the judges to apologise for their remarks against the MQM or their “names will be wiped out”..... Yup, that sounds too familiar :p
what's wrong with this judge who is interfering in political matters. i agree with Altaf Hussain on this.
As a matter of fact, Altaf Bhai is right, we should now accept Mqm as a reality.
I Cant believe what i just read! is he now threatening Judges too?
Hue And Cry......... WHY?
Why Karachi can't b loved n why always facing conspiracies since early 60's? when Karachi supported fatima jinnah against ayub khan but now, Enuf is enuf & let my city be prosperous coz we love n own it............... what is right left, secular, liberal conservative, religious, judges and bureaucrats when it comes to Karachi and MQM "sub ak hoojatay haan"
One MQM point is very valid why has the court advised demarcation of electoral boundaries only in Karachi and not all of Pakistan.