'Karbala is resistance against oppression'

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that the tragedy of Karbala is not merely a historical event but a timeless rejection of hypocrisy and opportunism, calling it an eternal manifesto of courage and truth for humanity.

In a statement issued from the party's Bahadurabad headquarters on the occasion of Muharram and Ashura, he said Karbala represents the collapse of deceptive power structures and the triumph of principled resistance led by Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions. He said the event should not be reduced to a mourning narrative, but understood as a universal message against opportunism, moral compromise and betrayal of trust. He described the "Kufic mindset" as symbolic of those who issue invitations in times of ease but abandon commitments in moments of trial.

Dr Siddiqui said Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), exposed the false pretences of such behaviour through his sacrifice, proving that when societies abandon trust and integrity, silence and compromise become acts of injustice, while standing firm on truth becomes the highest form of moral courage. He said MQM's political philosophy is rooted in an awareness of marginalisation and resistance against betrayal and injustice, adding that Karbala teaches that principles cannot be traded away under pressure, temptation or expediency.