Show of strength in Punjab: MQM’s meeting venue in Lahore changed, again

Altaf Hussain urges people of Punjab to change the status quo.

LAHORE:

The Punjab government urged the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) to change the venue for its proposed public meeting scheduled for April 10 (today) at the Gaddafi Stadium Road again, because of “uncertainty.” Meanwhile, the MQM is said to have finalised preparations for a grand procession, showcasing its public strength in Punjab.

Just hours before the MQM’s public meeting for ‘Stabilising Pakistan’, the Punjab government told the party to “immediately change the public meeting’s venue”, declaring the event as a major “obstacle to the smooth flow of traffic”.

District Coordination Officer Ahad Khan Cheema asked MQM office-bearers on Saturday evening to change the venue, asking the party to hold its meeting at the vacant ground near Punjab Football Stadium at the Gaddafi Stadium Road.

Earlier, the Punjab government had stopped the MQM from holding its meeting at the Minar-e-Pakistan, citing security concerns.

A member of the MQM’s Rabita Committeee, Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, said that the move was worrisome. He questioned the provincial government’s ability to make proper security arrangement “in hours”.

MQM’s preparations

Meanwhile, an MQM delegation, led by the party’s Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar, called on Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) General Secretary Jahangir Badr at his residence and invited the party to participate in the meeting.

Badr later told reporters that the matter would be decided by President Asif Ali Zardari.

However, PPP’s parliamentarians categorically refused to participate in the event. Sources in the party said that Badr should not have issued any statement in this regard and that PPP should not “promote MQM in Punjab”, adding that if it did so, it would lose its vote bank.

In a related development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Information Secretary Omer Sarfraz Cheema and Punjab President Ahsan Rashid said that the PTI would not participate in the public meeting, while Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) would participate in the procession. MQM has not yet invited PML-N.

Altaf’s video message

MQM’s founder Altaf Hussain appealed to the people of the Punjab to support his party by participating in the public meeting in large numbers.

In a video message to the people of Punjab, he said his party was against the “decaying feudal system” rampant corruption and dynastic political culture in the country, which “empowers a few families to retain power”.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2011.