Two industrialists and a chamber of commerce representative have joined the Muttahida Qaumi Movement just days after the party embarked on a public fight against extortion, which has plagued business in Karachi.
The industrialists, Tariq Mehmood Qureshi and Riaz Awan, joined Hafeez Aziz, the head of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s law and order committee, to make their announcement on Saturday. The press conference was held at the MQM’s headquarters, commonly referred to as Nine Zero. MQM Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar, MPA Rauf Siddiqui and former diplomat Umer Ali Sherzai flanked the new members. Sattar focused on the party and its leader’s vision of improving economic conditions. He said that the worsening economy was “one of the biggest challenges and problems being faced by Pakistan.”
The new members, Sattar said, had been working with the MQM in an informal capacity and providing its economic team advice for a while. “They have now decided to join the party as workers. We have always tried to bring to the forefront people who have a formula for economic problems and can strengthen Altaf Hussain and his vision.”
Tariq Mehmood Qureshi, an industrialist from Mirpur in Azad Kashmir who lives in the Rawalpindi/Islamabad area, said, “We have funded parties in the past to help them contest elections but they have failed us.”
Qureshi compared the economic conditions of Pakistan to a house with five brothers. “While there is money in the house everyone is happy and so are the wives. But when that goes, one brother will try to break a wall, another will attempt to leave.”
He felt that they knew how to create jobs and develop industries. “Unless middle class people are given a chance to lead, there can be no change,” he said.
Aziz, who also leads the Bantva Memon Jamaat, said that in the context of the campaign against extortionists and the MQM’s support to the business community’s strike last weekend, they had “felt the need to join the MQM”. “No politician has taken any action against extortionists,” Aziz said. “The business community used to feel that they were orphaned. We know that we are not alone now.”
He urged the business community to also openly join the MQM.
Industrialist Riaz Awan, who is originally from Mansehra, said he moved to Karachi 40 years ago to set up his textile business in the city. “God knows how this industry has suffered in the last two years. We get at least four parchis [demanding extortion] a week,” he said, referring to the written demands. “Our people are threatened, our production and containers are stopped,” Awan said. “There is no institution or ruler we can appeal to, and when we do plead, we end up offering them concessions.”
The three men stated that they had been working with the MQM informally but had realised over the months and weeks that they had a chance to contribute and support Altaf Hussain’s vision for the country.
“People want a prosperous revolution,” Awan declared, “not a tsunami. No one but Altaf Hussain can give us a prosperous revolution.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2012.
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to all the commentators above grow up, your hatred is more harmful to you then to others. grow up
It is always more lucrative to receive, than to give, bhatta.
now they three are safe from paying monthly huge amount if they give 5 lack monthly now they will give only 1 lack as party fund and thousand of soldiers of party give protection to them. it call a real business management they should be teacher in business schools