Contempt notice: Altaf conferring with legal advisers
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said on Friday that he is currently conferring with legal advisers on a response to the contempt of court against him.
In a speech following the court orders, Altaf said that he respects the judiciary and called on party workers to remain peaceful and not to take the law into their own hands. However he struck a defiant note: “Those who had made baseless allegations against the MQM and Altaf Hussain have met their end. Big powers have been trying to eliminate me for the past 35 years but they failed.”
The speech was made at an MQM event marking the 26th anniversary of the Aligarh and Qasba Colony attacks in Karachi on MQM supporters. Altaf recounted the events of that day and said that, in all this time, not a single person responsible had been arrested. He said he would provide Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with video footage of the event through his workers and lawyers. Altaf said that if the current judges of the Supreme Court said in response that they were not present at that time or that the judiciary of that time was not independent, the judiciary is independent today and can take notice of an event even if 10 or 20 years have passed.
Altaf also referred to the spate of targeted killings in Lyari in 2011, saying that he sent the videos of these horrific crimes to the judges of the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court, “which perhaps they could not see because of their busy schedule.”
“Those who misconstrue my appeals for friendship and brotherhood as my weakness are daydreaming. They may use brute force against the MQM but the MQM would not beat a retreat,” he said.
Referring to the investigation of the murder of MQM Convener Dr Imran Farooq, who was killed in London, Altaf said that the Scotland Yard had said that they wanted to visit the MQM’s office. “We asked them to come and take away whatever they wanted. We told them that they may open any cupboard and carry out their investigation. Our conscience is clear and we had earlier also said that we would extend full cooperation to the Scotland Yard in the investigation. People raised a hue and cry that the International Secretariat of the MQM was raided. Biased commentators on television laughed and ridiculed,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
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He must take next step after conferring his legal advisers...it is the right way.This is a Test for Altaf Bhai to prove his respect for the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Altaf said that the Scotland Yard had said that they wanted to visit the MQM’s office. “We asked them to come and take away whatever they wanted. We told them that they may open any cupboard and carry out their investigation..." How is that possible? The whole purpose behind a police raid is to hold the element of surprise so that no potential evidence is forged or removed.
The essence of rule of Law and Justice is based on non-partisanship and accountability across all the boards. in Past, powerful groups and people get scot free from accountability but thanks to current judiciary, people of Pakistan are hoping for betterment in our country. No one is above the law now any nore, when PM can be hold accountable on the basis of contempt of court why not any one else? Violent forces will use threats and intimidation as they did on 12th May and hope that they wont succeed this time in intimidating state apparatus because whole nation is with SC in this struggle for rule of law and fair play. Altaf Hussain should come to Pakistan and face courts.
The way daily killing that take place in Karachi say mammoth about this organization. One of my friend recently got killed without any reason.
It seem to suggest that they collude with the terrorist for terrorizing the city of Karachi. And that is not a good perception to have.
They have quit and joined the goverment so many time that i have lost count and in this process have also lost their credibility.
No doubt,, Speech of Altaf Hussain was about Un justification with MQM since 1986 till now..and it was necessary to show the Roll of Courts in past like Bhutto Case.. so i don't think that there is any contempt of court. Like Judiciary,.. .Parliament and Army also deserve respect,,So Notices also should be issued to those who are abusing Parliament and Politician.There is a limit of what a UK national, or for that matter any country, can interfere in affairs of a sovereign country. Unless UK, or those who use its soil, have regard for other countries and their instructions it will get the same what it is exporting.
What has UK courts given to its minorities and have their ever protected their interests and interests. Minorities are treated like dirt in UK but still Pakistani's haven't said anything bad about UK or its courts. Its about time UK get the same criticism what it is or its nationals are giving to other countries. UK nationals should divert their attention in their own backyard rather than poking nose in Pakistan's affairs.
Yea right, hence there was open firing in sindhi muslim just last night.
In a speech following the court orders, Altaf said that he respects the judiciary and called on party workers to remain peaceful and not to take the law into their own hands.
So does it mean that your workers have never taken laws in their own hands,were they always law abiding and civilized individuals for all these years?