File photo of Altaf Hussain. PHOTO: APP/FILE
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain condemned Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Munawar Hassan’s statements in which he termed the late Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mehsud a ‘martyr.’
In a press release issued by the MQM, Altaf said every child in Pakistan knows that 7,000 security officials and more than 40,000 innocent citizens, including some ulema and religious scholars, have been killed by the Taliban.
Altaf asked the ulema and scholars whether the “murderer of thousands of innocent citizens” can be called a ‘martyr.’
“I believe that calling the Taliban leader’s death ‘martyrdom’ is against the teachings of Islam and of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),” he added.
The JI chief on Sunday had said that Hakimullah was a martyr, urging the Taliban to carry forward the talks with the government.
Altaf Hussain is not the only political leader who has criticised Munawar Hassan's comment. Earlier that day, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not mince words in a tweet about the JI leader's 'martyr' statement.
JI proving once again they were always anti-PK &still r anti-PK by declaring HM shaheed.Some1 shld do 2 'em wht Bangladesh did w/ their JI.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 4, 2013
COMMENTS (58)
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Musarraf is not guilty, he is merely a political sufferer . I draw this conclusion just through observing his actions on merit , in the same way no evidence is required to assess the intentions of a person or party just evaluvate them on certain values .
Munawwar's statement should be treasonable only that someone would first prove him to be senile.
Altaf is right. Calling a cold blooded murderer a shaheed is not only mind boggling but further deepens the mystery of what is going on in Parliament. Only JI and JUIF can conjure up these distinctions through unholy misinterpretation.
Well said bhai. Only you have the courage to say what is right because you also like us, spent your youth like us.
Cant believe there would be a day I would agree with this man, but strikingly true words.
"Altaf asked the ulema and scholars whether the “murderer of thousands of innocent citizens” can be called a ‘martyr.’"
very disturbing words - yet true
@Aysha M: Welcome back into the field :), you were badly needed on ET.
my PTI friends are more confused now!! esp about the relationship with JI.
By supporting TTP, once again JI and PTI are on the wrong side of history.
JI should be banned at the earliest. Man who claimed to have killed from ordinary Pakistanis, to trained army personnel cannot be considered a martyr. JI and all right wing parties are a bane of our lives
Its extremly shanful as declearing a killer Martyr. What they are proving that Taliban have pakistani support and clearing them terriorst is a Drama and nothing more. We lost our own stand and proved pakistan as a hypocrite country. These people destroying the pakistam and its shamless. Must condomn this statement as nation and who decleared Hakim ullah martyr should be punished
Many a time Altaf Bhai comes out with the truth.........well said
Stop Calling Terrorists Martyrs.. Very Well Said QeT Altaf Hussain Bhai ... Pakistani Ppl 100% Agree With You ....Long Live Pakistan Great Altaf Bhai (Y)
Altaf Hussain is right on this one. Shame on Jamaat e Islami. They need to be treated like they are in Bangladesh
height of insanity a terrorist killer of thousand of people is declared martyer. such a confused nation can't differentiate between friends and foes
Politicans, dicatators and now terrorists are shaheed. Only in Pakistan.....Bhotoo, Zia, BB and now HM Shaheed what a joke. Our country is full of ppl who are either too left or too right but they need this title shaheed for their heroes. I am disappointed, not just with these politicians but with the way we ordinary Pakistanis deal with such situations. All of us are political/international affair experts and can come up with conspiracy theories on a drop of a hat. As Musharaf said Pakistan ka Khuda Hafiz this is the only sane thing he said.
Thank you Altaf Bhai. We know that you and MQM are not perfect, but we prefer MQM over right wing thugs, any day.
Agreed Mr. Altaf Hussain. But then I suppose when you die or rather when you get 'killed' in mysterious circumstances some day, your party workers would also call you 'shaheed' or a 'martyr'. Lol, the irony :)
We all love you Bhai, long live Bhai. We are so proud of you. You are the true voice of our hearts Bhai.
ET! can you provide some link, Munawar Hassan saying Mehsud as Martyre!
one drone for Munawar Hassan....Bangladesh model should be followed ..ban JI the biggest terrorist group
If a terrorist is termed a "martyr", then those his organization has killed in hundreds must be "traitors"! So Pakistani people and a few hundred soldiers were all traitors! Right!
Altaf Mia- Do you even know how to recite Surah Fatihah correctly? look who is talking about Islam. why do the secular folk and leaders of secular parties pose as Islamic Scholars?
@Naseer: You said it right brother.
Well, Good to know that thugs like himself knows who could be martyr..........I am sure he has a will to call himself martyr (in reality a killer of 1000s of karachiites) once his time is over.
But I do agree with Mr. Altaf, for once atleast. Taliban can keep calling him Martyr as PPP calls their be-fallen as Martyrs......?????
By the way Shaheed is not a joke, but PAKISTANI Politicians made Shahadat a Joke just like they made ISLAM a JOKE.
Tells you that anti USA blather has gotten out of hand when you can label a mass murderer of Pakistani's a martyr just because he was killed by the American's - but then that's exactly what some did when US killed OBL. .
Only in Pakistan, the terrorists are called martyrs. What about the soldiers and innocent people who where killed by these martyrs?
Pakistan's religious organizations are the biggest supporters and producers of terrorism all over the world.
I for once agree with this guy, and I promise NEVER to support JI in future. They dont have any standing whatsoever. Politics is done on principles not being cry babies.
@just_someone: I spend my whole life in Karachi, as Punjabi i never see in racism by MQM, i was living there in other stronghold, they are always very kind and supportive
Guys where is Ayesha M. to further explain Bhai's statement? i guess she haven't ready yet. Well, i would give real feelings that Bhai is really a leader of the middle class, Jio Bhai!
@shiraz: You are so blinded by hatred that you can not improve your myopic eyesight and brain level. Even if you hate him, no one can disagree with him on this one.
I think that any religious leader who calls a a murderer 'a martyr' is not only a ruthless crook but a shame to Islam. How can people accept this kind of statement and remain silent. It shows the pathetic mindset of Pakistani intellectuals, media and the ulema mafia.
Despite all difference with AH, his viewpoint is absolute on this. With regard to Munawer Hassan (MH) comment on this killing, it is unfortunate for JI that quality of its leadership is deteriorating with every new Ameer. The current one is the worst of all times. Its JI's ill-vision and lose policies that its members were caught supporting militants.
@salman: Then, de facto, we as karachiites must love target killing terrorist and racists
What about your gangsters, when police arrest them or they are killed by police in cross firing, you say that blood of martyrs will not be wasted. If your killers, gangsters, land grabbers, can be martyrs then anyone can force his ideology on us, like you forcing yours.
Bangladesh model, ban JI and place all their leaders in court for crimes against Pakistan
I agree with Altaf Hussain. Also same is for all killers of human beings including Namaaloom Afraad of Karachi and Balochistan.
Politicians grieve when a terrorist is killed, and media makes those terrorists heroes. What is wrong with this country?
Its correct, do with JI what Bangladesh did!
how would you define yourself when you die..
Only Na Maloom Afraad are martyrs.
Only Altaf Hussain and MQM have courage to condemn these blastard, JI always support the terrorist in Pakistan, recent arrest from Punjab University show the world, who are the anti-state element. JI should be kick out and ban from Pakistan
MQM's the only hope for educated, middle class, liberal & secular Pakistanis.
is there any difference between hakimullah and altaf hussain??
Well said
we need 2 more american drone attacks,one on Edgeware road.
There is a Greek legend about Diogenes walking around in Athens in daytime with a lantern, seeking an honest man. It makes me feel sorry to say this, but it seems that the only honest 'leader' in Pakistan is the man who stays in London.
Finally a saner statement from any politician. Following Munawar Hassan's statement, I had started to become suspicious of the hordes of "martyrs" in the Islamic history. Seemed like you have to be a mass murderer to qualify.
A killer is a killer, a terrorist. Only warped minds or cowards will call this dead guy a martyr.
Thank you Altaf bhai and this explains why karachi chooses MQM over and again , we hate right wing extremists and their sympathizers
My god it must be a cold day indeed if I find ,yself in agreement with Altaf!
Every Pakis Should support this statement..Stop calling Terrorists martyrs.. Very well said Altaf Hussain.
I rarely agree with AH, but he is correct on this one. For JI to call a murderer of so many innocent people is just shameful.
A rare sane voice in our 'politically-correct' political scenario. Murderer of thousands of innocent Pakistani men, women, and children could only get this 'status' in our country.
And what he is doing is ofcourse according to teaching of Islam!!