Redrawing constituencies: Altaf asks CEC to withdraw notification

Says efforts are under way to harm MQM’s vote bank.

KARACHI:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain demanded on Friday that Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim withdraw the notification for redrawing electoral constituencies in Karachi.

Altaf says that peoples’ rights were being denied in Karachi through the use of illegal and unconstitutional methods. The MQM leader alleged that efforts were under way to harm the vote bank of his party through gerrymandering in the constituencies.

Altaf asked the MQM Coordination Committee, legal advisers and constitutional experts of the MQM to challenge the decision of the Election Commission in the high court by filing a constitutional petition.

He was addressing a joint meeting of the Coordination Committee of the MQM in London and Pakistan. Legal advisers and constitutional experts were also present at the meeting.

Altaf asked if the constituencies could be redrawn even though the election schedule has been announced. Lawyers present in the meeting told Altaf that the redrawing of some electoral constituencies in Karachi was completely illegal and unconstitutional.

Referring to the proceedings of the Karachi law and order case in the Supreme Court alleging the presence of militant wings in political parties, he categorically stated that there was no such wing in the MQM.

Altaf added that accountability was a continuous process in the MQM and there was no room for criminal elements in the party, adding that his party could not be blamed if someone declared that he was affiliated with the MQM after being arrested.

He said that an immediate inquiry is conducted if a complaint is received about the involvement of anyone affiliated with the MQM in criminal activities. If the complaint is found to be true, his party membership is cancelled and he is expelled from the party.

The MQM leader urged President Asif Zardari and others to take serious notice of “false accusations” and “malicious campaigns” against the MQM. He said that the opponents of the MQM were afraid of its increasing popularity, and they were resorting to illegal, unconstitutional, undemocratic and unethical practices to harm its reputation.

He said that the institutions wielding power should take notice of this smear campaign.

He asked workers and office-bearers of the MQM to maintain unity among their ranks and defeat conspiracies through peaceful and democratic means. He also asked them to inform the public about the alleged ‘conspiracies’ against the party.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2013.