A view of the audience at Bagh-e-Mustafa in Hyderabad during Altaf Hussain's telephonic address. PHOTO: MQM press release
The MQM chief lambasted the Sindh government for what he claimed were conspiracies behind delimitation plans to manufacture a PPP win and an MQM loss from every constituency in the upcoming local body elections in Sindh.
He said the PPP-led government treatment of Urdu-speaking people was akin to that of "step-mothers".
سندھ میں اردوبولنےوالوں کیساتھ سوتیلی ماں جیساسلوک کیاجارہاہے، #AltafVoiceOfMasses #Pakistan
— MQM (@OfficialMqm) January 3, 2014
Altaf said that if the government wanted to continue its "gangster" ways, it would do well to remember that MQM has given sacrifices in the past and would not hesitate to lay their lives down for the cause again in the future.
However, the option of talking was still open.
The MQM chief urged the Sindh government to sit down with MQM and discuss ways in which the urban populace can be represented equally with rural areas, which they would have to do sooner or later.
حکومت کوغنڈہ گردی کرنی ہے توکرے، جان دیناجانتےہیں،ہم نےجانیں دی ہیں، #MQM #AltafHussain #AltafVoiceOfMasses
— MQM (@OfficialMqm) January 3, 2014
ٹیبل پربیٹھ کربات کرلواورشہری آبادی کوبرابرکاحصہ دیاجائے،اردواورسندھی بولنےوالےسندھی ایک ساتھ رہناچاہتاہیں، #AltafVoiceOfMasses #MQM
— MQM (@OfficialMqm) January 3, 2014
"Today, I ask PPP and Sindhi nationalist parties that if they consider the urban masses — the Urdu-speaking Sindhis — not Sindhi enough, then create a separate province for this particular Sindhi population."
Altaf said he was ready for talks at this point, but if the things got "out-of-hand", the flames from this fire could scorch the entire country.
ایسی حلقہ بندیاں کی گئیں کہ پی پی ہرجگہ سےکامیاب ہواورایم کیوایم ہارجائے، #MQM #AltafVoiceOfMasses
— MQM (@OfficialMqm) January 3, 2014
شہری آبادی کوبرابرکاحصہ نہ دیاتوبات علیحدہ صوبےکےبجائےملک تک بھی پہنچ سکتی ہے، #AltafVoiceOfMasses #MQM #AltafHussain
— MQM (@OfficialMqm) January 3, 2014
On the subject of the ongoing trial of Pervez Musharraf, Altaf Hussain said Article 6 of the Constitution should also implicate former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and General (retd) Kayani in cases.
He also took a dig at Bilawal Bhutto. Noting how he was like his nephew, Altaf advised that he should complete his studies before joining politics.
"Be a good boy, not a bad boy," he advised Bilawal in English adding that the young Bhutto scion, who has taken to Twitter with great success, to think, think a lot before speaking.
PPP reacts
PPP patron Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted in response:
مرسون مرسون، سنڌ نه ڏيسون
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) January 3, 2014
Marsoon Marsoon, Sindh na Ddaisun
("We will die but won't give Sindh [to others]") - Hoshu Sheedi
Speaking to Express News over telephone, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon called Hussain's statement "a ploy to divert attention from the Karachi operation, which is targeting terrorists, extortionists and those responsible for all the dead bodies found packed in gunny sacks."
"I don't think that this singular statement by one person from one group reflects the sentiments of the masses," said Memon.
"Everyone in Sindh is living like brothers and will continue to do so. We won't let anyone split Sindh."
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