Altaf Hussain says his party is the movement of the oppressed people. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: A day after causing a stir with his comments, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said on Saturday that those trying to instigate racial violence in Sindh had launched a malicious propaganda against the party, just because they had raised their voice for Sindh’s rights.
Addressing party workers finalising preparations for a rally in Karachi, Altaf claimed that Sindhis, Muhajirs, Punjabis, Pakhtoons, Baloch, Seraikis, Kashmiris, Gilgatis and Biltistanis all support MQM.
“Sindh is the land of love. Some elements who are enemies of Sindh have launched a poisonous propaganda against MQM for raising voice on Sindh’s rights. MQM is the movement of the oppressed people. The fruits of this movement will be reaped by oppressed people belonging to all ethnicity, linguistic groups, sects or ideologies,” a statement released by his party quoted Altaf as saying.
The MQM chief said that elements who are trying to instigate racial violence in Sindh could not be friends and well-wishers of Sindh and Sindh’s people. He added that they had launched malicious propaganda to do this.
On Friday, Altaf Hussain had said during his telephonic address that “I want to tell the nationalist groups and PPP leaders that if they don’t accept the mandate of urban Sindhis then [they should] create a separate province for them.”
The comments had evoked strong responses from members of other political parties.
COMMENTS (19)
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@Truth_Prevails: get used to it and enjoy the absurdity
ET what's wrong with ur system? My ID has been used by someone else and I believe Ayesha M's ID has been hacked as well. Plz improve ur system
don't we have enough divisions already within the country. do we need another?
but what BBZs opinions on the Saraiki province?
@Aysha M: An easier way would be to start learning Sindhi. Tribes of Afghan, Punjabi and Baloch extraction have assimilated into Sindh via this method through centuries. I am of Durrani (invader) extraction paternally, and of Syal (settler) heritage maternally. A Sindhi since the last 200 years without any problems.Just an advice, since the effort of our urban brethren to assimilate has been close to zero yet.
Worry about your own country Altaf Hussain, you lost the right to be a political leader in Pakistan when you took the oath of protecting UK queen or were you lying there too???
Wow Ayesha M : Hats Off... We demand for our rights .. we do not support MQM but if MQM talks about our rights we are on their side. I wasnt racist but this discrimination has dragged me think that way... Yes we Mahajir are way better than anyone ....
@Aysha M: Yea, Yea, Yea. Well said Ayesha. The quota system is perdition for Pakistan. It is the stepping stone to corruption and illiteracy. And by not carrying out and doctoring whatever census is available, the environment has exacerbated to this line of ethnic separation. Salams
Can you ask Mr Altaf to tell us how he got 400000 British pounds which were found in one of his houses in London? Did he earn this money? Did he pay tax on this money? Why this money was lying in cash in the house instead of sitting in the Bank account? Any answer to these questions?
A settler who has run away from Sindh and playing politics of hate is telling native Sindhi population that Sindh is a land of love! So when are you coming back to the land of love? You have strange ways to show love to your province by running away for ever.
@Aysha M:
Both MQM & PPP have literally ruined Karachi for their personal gains. Please stop this mantra of Urdu speaking. There are many who have left Pakistan for greener pastures but still pretend to have a heart for those who are left behind. Their presence in foreign land is a proof of their allegiance and everything else is a rhetoric to fool people. And there are many who fall in their traps.
Be a Pakistani - either learn to Love it or Leave it,
I am extremely sorry everyone. I have been wrong all along to support MQM. I now see the error of my ways! MQM does not speak for anyone, let alone urdu speaking people.
@ All leaders regardless of their political and provincial affiliations, in their attempts to emphasize their demand of their rights refer to the creation of Bangladesh and warn the government of inequities, but if the leader of urban Sindh, the underlings does it, it is considered sinful and condemnable
I am unable to understand Altaf Bhai's "philosophy".. Beyond my comprehension, for sure..
If any one else from any other leading party has ever uttered such words against the sovereignty of Pakistan, whole media must have repeated the clips many times and our establishment might have taken serious note, even Judiciary would have taken suo motu but what a luckof this party and chief, he always says and no one dares to stop him. What a country of ours. Welcome to banana republic.
All leaders regardless of their political and provincial affiliations, in their attempts to emphasize their demand of their rights refer to the creation of Bangladesh and warn the government of inequities, but if the leader of urban Sindh, the underlings does it, it is considered sinful and condemnable
There is a strong presence of elements of master and slave dialectics where the masters rural Sindh treat the urban Sindh as their HAREES. May it be the quota system, the provincial services or the recent ordinance. There is an instituted inequity. PPP governance is deceit, hypocrisy and lies all rolled into one. We in urban Sindh are Urdu speaking Sindhis and please be informed that we are as much a part of Sindh as anybody else in the province. Our forefathers didn’t gate crash into Pakistan but their struggle and sacrifices and in more tangible terms, their votes for the liberation of this land, was their entry ticket into this country. There would have been no Pakistan, if the people from UP, CP, Bihar, and Orissa, didnot struggle for it. We in urban Sindh deserve and demand to be treated as equal citizens and will not stand for any attempts made to usurp our rights. Even if MQM doesnt demand for a separate province, we the true blue Karachites want to have our city governed as a city-state and have our own policing
Lol no non muhajir will ever vote for MQM and many muhajirs have already pulled out of their support for MQM. Speaks a lot about the party's future.