Forgiven: Altaf pardons Amir

Former MQM-H leader apologises, Altaf ratifies his reinstatement as MQM member.

KARACHI:

Putting to rest one of Karachi’s bloodiest rivalries, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has accepted a formal written apology by Amir Khan, the chief of his own faction of Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi. According to an MQM press release, he was pardoned by Altaf Hussain and the families of those MQM members who were killed in clashes with the MQM-H.

Thus, the MQM founder ratified Amir Khan’s reinstatement as a worker of the party. The announcement was made by Altaf Hussain when he addressed party members, workers and the bereaved families at Lal Qila Ground on Wednesday. Amir had arrived at the MQM headquarters, Nine-Zero, at around 2 pm on Wednesday - two days after he was released from jail when his life term was revoked by the Sindh High Court. Sources also claim that the ‘understanding with the MQM’ made Khan’s release possible.

“I regret my mistakes as the nation (the Urdu-speaking community) has suffered since 1992”, Amir reportedly admitted. “I will stay loyal to the MQM till my last breath”, he added, according to sources. Officials, requesting anonymity, said that Altaf Hussain had said that Amir’s apology will only be accepted after the affected families of MQM workers forgave him.

However, they were reluctant to say whether Amir could be trusted. Officials also doubt he would play an important role in bringing back workers who had left the MQM years ago. Amir might even settle abroad, some suggested. According to sources, Amir looked confident and comfortable. The media was not allowed to broadcast his visit live.

A long history

The MQM-H was formed in the year 1992 - the year when law-enforcement agencies kicked off ‘Operation Clean-up’ against the MQM in Karachi. The MQM claimed that it had lost around 15, 000 workers during that operation, which they termed extrajudicial killing.

Amir was considered a diehard MQM activist. But after he joined the MQM-H, he had reigned the notorious Liaquatabad Peeli Kothi (yellow house), which was literally a house painted yellow and it was the MQM-H sub-headquarters. Later on, he went to the Gulf but he was arrested on his return in April 2004 and had been in jail since. Amir was not alone when he parted ways with Altaf Hussain. Afaq Ahmed, Amir’s arch-rival and boss was the actual leader of the MQM-H. In 2006-2007, differences had developed between them after which rumours spread that Amir laid down his weapons before the MQM.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2011.