Deputy conveners, MQM Rabita committee Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui addressing the press conference alongwoth other rabita committee members. PHOTO: MQM
At his first press conference since taking over as one of Rabita Committee’s deputy conveners, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said as sons of the soil they do not want separation from the country. However, in the wake of party workers being targeted, a 1971-like situation could be created.
“We would not be able to control the situation then,” he said, asking the people of the city to take steps for their security as they have no
other choice.
The deputy convener’s comments came when the party had declared a day of mourning across Sindh, in protest of the kidnapping and murder of three of their workers in Malir a day earlier. MQM had asked transporters to observe a complete wheel jam strike and traders to shut their businesses.
Siddiqui said that the country was running on Karachi’s revenues, and if it was left at the mercy of criminals, it would lead to a disaster for the whole country.
He requested the prime minister and the chief justice to take notice of MQM workers being kidnapped and asked them to save lives of eight of their men who have gone missing.
He said MQM workers were being targeted, and for many days they had observed an increase in incidents of kidnappings, killing and extortion in Karachi.
Siddiqui said Pakistan had embarked on a new democratic path, but it was unfortunate that the provincial government was patronising criminals of Lyari. Condemning the Sindh chief minister, the MQM leader said after taking his oath, he chose to visit the Peoples Amn Committee instead of paying a tribute to the Quaid.
“The Sindh government is supporting extortion and murder conducted by Lyari gangsters,” Siddiqui said.
He condemned law enforcement agencies and said when terrorists roamed freely in the city, they were targeting the MQM. “The PPP says Lyari is their hub. They are wrong – Lyari is a hub of criminals.”
At the press conference, workers of the MQM wore black armbands to express solidarity with the slain workers.
Siddiqui lashed out at other political parties that did not offer a word of condolence.
“Political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, were holding protests for re-elections but have not come out to the streets against kidnapping and extortion.”
Earlier, the Rabita Committee also announced the recruitment of two new members, Amin Ul Haque and Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui – taking the total number of its members to 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (71)
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Leave us alone Karachi politics, If we(people of Karachi) support MQM, PPP will kidnap us. If we(people of Karachi) support PPP, then we are on hit list of MQM. If any of them are not in power seats, then we(people of Karachi) are collateral damage.
Well, there is a huge difference between the 1971 situation and the present scenario in Karachi. East Pakistan had only one and unified ethnic group who lived on their land Bengaal for many centuries and even millennia and they had deep emotional attachment with their ancestral land, Bengaal. In the case of Karachi, it's the ancestral land of Sindhis and Mahajirs as the very name shows are just refugees settled on the land of Sindhis after the partition. And secondly, there are at least four millions, Pashtuns and a large number of Punjabis, Balochs and Sindhis living in the city and their collective strength could be quite challenging to the Mahajirs in case of any situation similar to 1971. And thirdly, East Pakistan was geographically separated from the mainland Pakistan by thousands of kilometers, surrounded by India. Quite contrary to East Pakistan, Karachi is attached to the rest of Pakistan. And fourthly, what will happen to Mahajirs living in other urban areas of Haiderabad, succur and Larhkana. Between all these cities, where many Mahajirs live, Sindhis live in many smaller towns and villages. My answer to MQM's latest rhetoric is based on intellectual wisdome and nothing else. I will be more than glad if the MQM answers back intellectually.
@Owias: money is not generated by production it is generated by sales and consumption , got it
Please no more 1971, the former 1971 is still hurting you guys and you haven't reeled out of it yet.
@Hamid: good that ur parents migrated from delhi and now u are punjabi sure you are because u are not subjected to qouta system and no policing from semi literate people in the mega city . Please help us from the punjabi govt get out of qouta system and we will feel assimilated , lets us grants to KU according to its fair share and we will feel integrated , remember sharifs are migrant from indian punjab and over here in sindh we cannot have chief minister ,IG police city commissioner an urdu speaking also ll the beauracracy have no ursu speaking people get us through and we ill b e integrated
@Dr.A.K.Tewari: u dont need to do this cause ur brothers in khi under the flag of MQM are doing this for a very long time and ur secret services has spent billion on these softies in last three decades but our ans to this is 2500 rangers who can control these softies any time so u indian carry on spending ur hard earned money.
@Indian007: believe me or not thats what they looking for and actually getting massive help from indian fro a long time but hence no result for indian so far after spending billions on these softies.....
@Aysha: i follow you on the pages of ET , i find you commenting regularly on issues regarding Mega city Karachi , my homeland , you have very rightly suggested that best response to current lawlessness is local policing by strong City govt by under a directly elected mayor like all over the world we see , in Newyork , London Tehran Istanbul the list goes on , Your comments are logical and substantiated with facts , i pray more and more people start l thinking like you
@Shahwani: get ur head out of sand and think . is it possiblle to generate whole state money jst from KSA and seaport i mean come on are u really saying this u know what i m not even bother to waste my time, just one thing the way ur leader Ah behave is exactly what sahdowed u guys ( so called mohajirs aftr 65 years)...............
@Aysha: trust me you had it all u mentioned, things went down the hill drastically in last teen years so dont ask for it cause u aint getting this time.
@Naeem Khan: I am an overseas pakistani american and I LOVE MQM. I will always support them. They fight for all minorities and are a secular party. I hate taliban and I will support MQM in protecting karachi against taliban and other nefarious designs of the leaders in charge. Matter of fact I will make it a point to donate DOLLARS to MQM USA. You cannot crush us. It is not the 90s anymore. Of course now ET will continue their censorship against what I have said. But these are all true facts.
Mr.Shami & Salim Jahangir, people like you were the cause of 1971, I wish that incident is never repeated, but you have to be Pakistani. You have to be at least this much educated to understand the economy of Pakistan, and how it is supported, every province play its part, but here are some provinces who are in a position of participating better than others, then their are cities in those provinces where there is more economical growth then other, and like wise there are companies or people who make more money, pay more tax and help develop the economy and the person, company, city or province who is paying more tax if the feel deprived of some thing they can complain and the people responsible should pay attention, I hope you will understand it now and talk about solidarity in Pakistan.
What these people are doing is cutting the nose to spite the face, keep on saying about seceding from the country and no end to threats. Did ever occur to these people that the more they call themselves Mohajirs even after 65 years and threatning the naton, the more people in Pakistan and Pakistanis overseas dislike them and make them accountable for this murderous situation in Karachi. Did any one forget May12,2007, MQM can not absolve themselves from that mayhem and they are the ones who has been in the governments either with Musharraf or PPP for the last 10 years in Sindh as well in Islamabad. They are well advised not to be threatening the integrity of Pakistan because they will lose what ever sympathy they have in the rest of the nation.
MQM warning should be taken seriously as situation is worsening each passing day. In 1971, the rulers committed barbarities against the Bengalis thinking that they would be able to break the will of the people by inhuman methods were made to pay a huge price. Baluchis and Shias who too are victims of continuous harassment by the state and sectarian forces respectively for many years would join MQM and make this prediction a reality.
@Hamid: As long as you do not accept as equal citizen of the Land of The Pure.If your memory is short when in the 70s we tried to call ourselves Sindhi,we were accepted as Naya Sindhi.Do not blame your shortcoming on us.
@Shaami: You are welcome to collect all the revenues in some other city of Punjab and leave Karachi alone.
@Singh, Mr. Tewari and other Indians:
For your information Parvez Musharraf and Jawed Miandad were/are also Muhajirs. Musharraf has got support even among many Punjabi and Pashtun youngsters too, but he still chants slogans in favour of Pakistan (I personally don't agree with all actions of Musharraf by the way)
MQM zindabad Altaf Hussain Paindabad Looooooooooooong Live ALTAF HUSSAIN
Altaf Bahi Look So Cute In Suite & Tie.
It's time for operation clean up in Karachi. MQM ruled Karachi for 10 years and the law and order has gotten worse during their rule. They are PART of the problem there. Also, they should arrest their top leadership who talk about breaking Pakistan in every second press conference.
A loyal Pakistani.I seriously demand from the new govt. to put a complete bam on activities related to Kashmir Solidarity day in entire Pakistan with immidiate effect otherwise some one here in India will start celebrating Mohazir solidarity day , Wake up...???
@Faisal:
u r right these sector incharges are looting the ordinary people
Then I think we out siders should starts pilling up the guns for future civil war like Beirut Lebanon. this time no one gonna come for your help even though we know u got stolen NATO containers....
In 1971, Hindustan supported the mukti bahini. Are you also receiving support from Hindustan...MQM?
Book these politicians under "anti state" laws.
Peace in Karachi = Remove Altaf Hussain from picture. Still Mohajir after 65 year? When you guys become Pakistani? "Kahin Ki eent Kahin Ka Roora, Jinnah ney Kunba Joora" It look like you guys will be still Mohajir after 650 year.
@Shahwani: Punjabi leaders are responsible for the division of Pakistan 40 years ago and are continuing their same dirty policies till now. They ll be responsible for any further disintegration of Pakistan.
Another blackmailing tactic by MQM!
Why has the party, despite being in the power for over 10 years (with Musharaff and Zardari) did not do anything about the law and order situation in the city. Infact it got worse over these 10+ years.
The only explanation is that the party itself is the major culprit and a operation cleanup will result in cleaning up of a large number of sector in charges and their thugs form the city. So I say bring on the clean up operation!
@QB: Which gunda gardi are you talking about brother? If you are living in Karachi and in an MQM dominated area then you must feel blessed that you are protected from Terrorist and Taliban. All the Pashtun dominated areas in Karachi have fall under the hands of Taliban. Its only MQM that is protecting its people and raising voices for them. In the first Parliamentary Session of 2013 Dr Farooq Sattar was the only one who raised the issue of these brutal killings and he did only mention MQM activists but talked for the common man too.
What MQM is going through is due to what MQM ANP and PPP has sowed during their lást five years of bad governance in Karachi.....so reap what you sow.......
@Shaami: I am a Karachiite and agree with you.
Enough of this blackmailing! You MQM!, you are the reason for this situation in Karachi.
I fail to understand when will mqm people will become pakistani citizen. When will they start thinking and acting like one. Enough of blackmailing MQM your politics is over now.
@Yuri Kondratyuk: Pakistan was humiliated by India and Bangladesh in 1971. Do Pakistanis want this to happen again?
@Yuri Kondratyuk: Pakistan was humiliated by India and Bangladesh in 197. Do Pakistanis want this to happen again?
@Raj Kafir: Hahaha. Joke of the day.
India willing to help MQM in this regard.
Altaf Hussain became a British citizen after living in UK for only 7 years, yet even after 65 years his party in Pakistan did not become Pakistani and remains 'muhajir'. Such hypocrisy. And now they threaten to divide Pakistan.
According to the Pakistani history books 1971 was a great victory for Pakistan. If history repeats itself, it can only be more good news for Pakistan. Bring it on !!
@Shahwani:
FYI
Engro - Sadiqabad, Multan Unilever - Rahim Yar khan OGDCL - Sindh and Balouchistan PPL - Balouchistan SNGPL - Northern areas SSGC - Sui Balouchistan MCB - Lahore Bata - Lahore
All major companies listed at KSE have production facilities outside Karachi and generate revenues from all over country.
@Aysha: Karachi is not somebody's father's estate. It is constitutional right of every Pakistani to live and work anywhere in Pakistan.
Harsh words. Reality is always bitter. Much needs to be done in Karachi and against criminals.
As for those who said their forefathers came from India and they are Punjabis today, having lived their lives in Punjab- this is not what happened to us living in Sind. There was a wide divide between Rural-Urban Sindh in terms of culture, language, tehzeeb, saqafat, education, habits etc. The generations of those who migrated from India in 1947 have a very rich culture they inherited from their parents and grand parents. We are proud to have our culture and would not give it for adopting any other culture or ethnicity.
We are Pakistanis today and beyond that we have always requested not to be divided. But unfortunately, the next question is always about a specific ethnicity. Hence, when everyone else is proud to be what they are, so are the Urdu speaking people whose ancestors migrated from India.
@Shaami: Where do you find the biggest loan defaulters, where do you find the biggest tax dodgers, where do you find the biggest defrauders of government and institutional money, where do you find the biggest drug lords, where do you find the biggest feudals? In Karachi? Salams and have a nice day.
@JK: And ANP dying in KPK is on your Taliban Bhai log, please come with some good logic.
@Raj Kafir:
Pakistan never lost a single war in the last 1000 years they ruled us and Insha'Allah it will never lose.
Lot of ANP workers/leaders have been martyred since decades in kpk and karachi but they never had warned of separation or for any separation movement,why does the MQM thinks this way at the first place?secondly they have been in power since at least a decade now and till date they could not resolve karachi's problems.why do people vote for these incompetent humans?
i think its more like 1990s scenario.
Dear all friends, Please don’t distinguish between Karachi and rest of the citizens of Pakistan. We all are Pakistanis and we collectively have to tackle the issues of terrorism, murders, and kidnapping. No doubt these issues are true realities here in Karachi. But separation or blaming others is not the solution. Collectively we are Pakistan without it we will be nothing. We should admire the importance of each other. All cities and provinces of Pakistan have their own importance and are not comparable. Please don’t create hate among ourselves. It will give nothing but more problems. I love Karachi and I love Pakistan. Those of us who are safe and not facing these issues should come forward and show at least their solidarity with those who are facing these issues like in Karachi. The new ruling government should take care of Karachi and other areas of this country which are facing these issues.
Sad to see such remarks made! I think MQM should sit down with the Government and seek a solution rather than passing such biased comments. My prayers with those who have lost their lives, may God comfort their souls and be with their families.
@Shahwani: Agriculture is not taxed in India but it is curse on the agriculture community as they produce the goods but the price of these goods is not fixed by them. If a man make samosa he calculate its production cost and after adding his profit sell it but in the case of agriculture the production cost is more and the agriculturist are compelled it sell at cheaper rates because they can not stock the same. Wheat is produced by a farmer and a businessman makes bread and other commodities and earns good profit lives a princely life but a farmer always starves whole life inspite of working day and night.The tax may be levied on agriculture and he must be allowed the produce after adding his profit to the production cost.
I think establishment of this country has learnt nothing from past, not even from 1971 debacle. They think that that they can resolve every problem through tanks and guns. However, the time has changed and no one can subjugate any community by force. As far as MQM is concerned its demands are genuine but it should stick to them untill they are fulfilled and thier should be a long term strategy to seek due status of urdu speaking peolple. Instead of dying one by one they chalk out a joint strategy how to live in this country, eithr as slaves and third rate citizens are on equal basis like other " Sons of the soil". Onus is on MQM and urdu speaking intellgentia how they deal the rising storm. SM ZAKI
I know many Pakistanis, and they believe Pakistan won the 1971 war. If the situation is similar to that of 1971, Pakistan will win again.
Dear MQM, if there is 1971 like situation in Karachi, then please clarify which side your are on. Pakistan or the other? Because if you are with Pakistan then no-one dare talk like that about Karachi. Beside who is going to answer for all the gunda gardi that you have done in Karachi for the last two decades? Only if MQM had really molded itself into a political party rather then a mafia, it would have served the purpose of people better, be it muhajirs or others.
@Shahwani: Brilliant
Why would we separate from a country that are forefathers sacrificed their belongings and everything for? I would certainly not want to be under MQM's rule.
It is either lack of interest, lack of attention or lack of sympathy on the part of the federal govt (no matter which party is ruling) that has brought Karachi to the brink of disaster. If the govt is not able to manage Karachi then it should outsource it to China or some other country for three to five years. Karachi is part of Pakistan and it will continue to remain the part of Pakistan IA but there is a crying need that problems of Karachi are resolved with participation from all levels of govt and the people of Karachi.
1971...???Please do not threat,gone are those days, we are now well prepared & will not let it happen because a handful of disgruntled people want it in name of poltics.You are creating problems for the country.There are no mohajirs any more in Pakistan after 5th generation.All those whom you call mohajirs are patriotic Pakistanis & only Pakistanis.You have done enough politics on this slogan ,now please change your course if you want to do sustainable politics in Pakistan.Let us all live as one Nation, as brothers/sisters inseparably entwined & together rebuild Pakistan which we all cherish the most. With best regards,Your brother from Punjab Pakistan,K.Salim Jahangir
Try it if you can, MQM.
Really unfortunate way of stating things.
Love you MQM...
I don't think that the situation will come similar to 1971.
MQM should support the Government to maintain law and order situation and it should help in identifying the bad guys so that target killers should be arrested.
If there will be peace in Karachi, it will be good for Mohajirs and for the entire Pakistan.
MQM is the biggest party of Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.
I would request the peaceful workers of MQM to identity the killers, no matter which political party they belongs to.
Peace must be maintained at all costs to provide relief to the people of Karachi from Bhatta/Parchi Mafia, Land Grabbers, extortionists, murderers and from all sort of criminals.
If peace will be maintained, Karachi will flourish and if Karachi will flourish. Pakistan will flourish.
@exmqm: I have a question that for how long you will call yourself as Muhajir.? I live in Punjab. My family came from around Delhi and now we are third generation in Punjab and simply accepted the culture and our new land and become Punjabis and Pakistanis as Punjabi is not a racial definition but cultural and geographical one. Only those families in Punjab got problems who arrived here but failed to accept their new identity and felt segregated. So mr muhajir it is my.advice to you to end this complex of muhajir. Just like you go in any country and integrate then try to integrate with locals, end the word muhajir and accept the land and values of Sindh and believe me that everyone will welcome you with open arms. Accept the new reality and move on. I live in Lahore and became Lahori and people of Karachi must accept themselves as Sindhis as well and this is the only way forward and a logical thing to do.
Very cheap slogan.
@Shaami - Whole of your logic is flawed, Karachi is not collecting on behalf its the money they own.
1 - Stock Exchange - Companies are free to list themselves at Lahore Stock Exchange and they will be free of anything that goes by name of Karachi. If they are listing at KSE then they are taking benefit of Karachi Economy and its market power.
2 - Seaport - Karachi is NOT in anyway keeping your customs and is directly paid to the respective government, its charging port holdings and charges that are necessary to operate a seaport.
3 - Agriculture - There is no agriculture in Karachi and all of the claims of Karachi generating revenue do not in any way shape or form include any such money so your point is moot, secondly agriculture is not taxed at same rate and hence tax saving offsets a big chunk of revenue generation whereas all of the finances provided by Karachi pay tax over it which again benefits national treasury.
So all in all Karachi is being robbed of its share and then people like you come saying that you are better and that Karachi is just a sham ? Start being logical and accept what is true. Karachi IS the biggest revenue generator of our economy and after that comes Ghotki which again is part of Sindh so before blabbing try to do your research properly, only thing that Punjab has better than Karachi/Sindh is number of votes and that is what gives them undue advantage.
All Karachi needs is local government, local policing, locals managing transport.
Karachi belongs to those who spend money and bury their dead in Karachi.
Others are more than welcome to come and make a living, but stay away from power politics, not their domain
I think the MQM's blackmailing that Karachi is feeding and generating revenue otherwise our country will cease to exist must end at all costs. Other than Karachi all people of Pakistan are equally hard working and contributing to the Economy. Karachi is just collecting the revenue on behalf of the federation and all companies registered at KSE ( Karachi Stock Exchange ) just give tax there but this does not mean that Karachi is generating it rather that city is just acting as a Revenue collection unit. All taxes of Imports and exports of KPK, Punjab, Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir are collected on their behalf in Karachi. Also More than 60 percent of Revenue is Generated by Punjab and it is a fact. Agriculture sector of Punjab alone contributes more than 24 percent to GDP and major goods exported or imported to Pakistan at Karachi are all destined for Punjab. So kindly stop this mantra of Doing Ihsaan on the rest of the Population and enough of the blackmailing of separation as well.
MQM Karachi is with you!!! Go ahead and save our lives from killers of PPP
Being a mohajir and former mqm memberi feel.sad at the targetting of mohajirs. But we are with you mqm if you can protect our community with or without 1971.