Redrawing constituencies: Altaf wants judges to apologise for order
“It is not the judges’ job to make decisions on electoral constituencies,” said MQM chief Altaf Hussain, addressing a large gathering in the economic capital via telephone. “The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is responsible for that.”
The MQM chief asked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take suo motu notice of the special SC bench which made “irresponsible” remarks on delimiting constituencies while hearing a case on the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi.
He claimed MQM’s enemies were using the apex court to wipe out his party. “This order is against democracy. Only people have the right to decide which party holds majority.”
Redrawing constituencies will not improve law and order but rather worsen it, said Altaf, adding that a similar order should have been passed for other parts of the country.
“Why don’t the judges redraw the constituencies of feudal lords, which have been demarcated according to their wishes and been under their rule for generations?” asked the MQM chief. “The judges have violated Article 25B of the Constitution which says all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law … the MQM will not let anyone infringe upon the democratic rights of the people,” he added. Altaf said that new constituencies cannot be made in any case before completion of the census.
“The Delimitation Act of 1974 says a census has to be conducted first. The SC order even violated that law,” he said, adding “no judge has the right to order ECP to stop a party from maintaining a ‘monopoly’. It is the right of the people to give their mandate to a party.”
Other party leaders said that the MQM believes it is being cornered to make way for other political forces in its stronghold of Karachi. “For us, this order is just a manifestation of some greater plan and we will resist it,” said a leader on the sidelines of the gathering.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2012.
COMMENTS (24)
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@Karachities: It is the only way people of Pakistan vote in their constituencies. Various examples are found in rural areas of punjaab and lahore is always been a stronghold of PMLN due to ethnic powers. Peshawar has always been for ANP my friend. Ure still too naive to argue. Do u not live in Pakistan? It's an ethnic divide since it was made.
all who are in favor of MQM, only vote because of ethnic relationship and nothing, what MQM given to people of Karachi is Target killing and bhatta culture. When things go in favor of MQM, all is well, and when things seems against them, they cries. double stand MQM will lose inshaAllah
Hello moderators. Why do you single out my comment??
Why this dismembrance ...oops demarcation , is so good , is not for Lahore ,or Pehsawar ???
Anybody ??????? All hail MQM .
@Faisal: are you saying that we surrender
Doesnt matter what or how constituencies are deliminated, MQM will win all seats of Karachi in next elections. No one can stop MQM.
They should either change the law on dual citizenship that no Pak citizens should be allowed to keep dual nationality. They can not have two seperate laws for the rulers and normal citizens!
Judges of Pakistani courts have absolutely no right, however a UK citizen can sit in London and be a power broker and has a say in everything that goes in Karachi - that is Pakistan.
@Sindhi_Sufi: Why karachi only? You should wait for the census. After the census delimitation will be in order. And then it will be revealed that Mohajirs and Pashtuns combined make the majority in the province sindh. With Karachi having more seats than Rural Sindh, it will not be in your best interests, so you may not like MQM but in reality it is also fighting your war.
how can you draw new constituencies without a census? PCO judges are making a mockery of justice. Their anti-Karachi and pro-Raiwind behavior is too obvious
This Time Mr Hussain is 100% right.
Altaf warned the Establishment, including the judges...."Do you want the chants of azadi to start in Karachi?" This is a very dangerous development. I think the Establishment and the judges need to back off. The MQM is an extremely powerful party with military style street power, and a strong international support base.
Boo Hoo
Suo Moto Pls, for this provocative statement. But, wait a minute, Suo Moto can't be revoked on a foreign national, I guess. Isn't it??
Does he want to repeat the episode of 12th May 2007?
Since when is judiciary allowed to make political comments? Also, if one party is not allowed to dominate a constituency, then one feudal family should also not be allowed to dominate a constituency. Maybe, political parties should also not be allowed to be dominated by particular families.
R u serious Altaf Bhai?
Oh yes, he is right. The people have the right to elect their representatives and elect those people who do a practical good for the benefit of the citizens. Altaf is precise when he says the Supreme Court should go after the demarcation and redrawing of the land held by the feudal lords, who enjoy the facilities of Pakistan, more than full. Why does the Supreme Court NOT take suo moto notice of the five landlords who raped a girl in Punjab? Furthermore, the judge can tell Punjab government to arrest the rapists in twenty-four hours, maximum, and then apply the full force of the law ASAP. Salams
This man has gone Ga-Ga
Don't you guys think judges are pushing it now. It ws fine at the beginning but now it's getting too much, it's actually making me laugh.
Pakistan must call UK High Commissioner to foreign office and protest against the interference of their citizen in our internal affairs.
As a matter of fact, Altaf Bhai is right!
Excessive news coverage to this issue by ET. Even some anchors and media houses are up to find some faults in SC's remarks. Gerrymandering and unfair delimitation is against the fundamental rights of voters, all democratic forces, civil society and media should support this move of SC and ECP. Media houses should stop being spokes-person of those who are resisting this fair and democratic move.