'Political parties engaged in mudslinging while Pakistan is under threat'

Altaf Hussain says they should first work on saving the country from danger and then engage in politics.

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has appealed for unity, while criticising political parties for being involved in mudslinging while Pakistan was encircled by threats.

In a speech at the party’s International Secretariat in London, Hussain said that the country’s major political parties should first work on saving the country from the danger it is in and then engaging in politics.

“If there is no Pakistan, then there is nothing else, no politics, estates or someone’s kingdom,” Hussain said.

Hussain also hit out at political parties for not speaking out on the killing of innocent people, and only being busy in flinging mud at each other for gaining power.

Hussain said that at a time like this, people should think about whether they want to fight or to forget all differences, unite and oppose terrorism.

With their unity, Hussain said, they should force law enforcement agencies and the government to support the oppressed.

Hussain said that he could not solely help the country, and he invited people of all faiths, sects and schools of thought to unite and support him.

“We can stop this system of oppression and establish justice,” Hussain said.

The party chief said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement wanted a system of justice where people of all religions and schools of thoughts would have equal rights and no one would be dealt with unfairly and one that would end the oppression of women and grant them equal rights.

Hussain has reiterated these issues several times in the past two weeks, and highlighted the massacre of Shias throughout Pakistan in a number of targeted attacks.

However his criticism of political parties may stem from the frustration his party has felt towards the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for dragging its feet on the issue of a local government system.