Altaf said, “Pakistan was my home, is my home and will always remain my home. I can come back to Pakistan any day.” PHOTO: PID/FILE
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said on Saturday that he has applied for a Pakistani passport as well as for his Pakistani identity card, adding that he can come to Pakistan at anytime.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Nazeer Hussain University in FB Area of Karachi via a signature telephonic address, Altaf said, “Pakistan was my home, is my home and will always remain my home. I can come back to Pakistan any day.”
The MQM chief further revealed that he had filed his request for a new Pakistani passport and NIC on April 4, since the existing passport and NIC had expired.
In the event he is not issued a passport or his request is denied, Altaf said people can decide what to do next, but he cautioned that any decision must be peaceful.
“People can protest peacefully. Our legal team will also approach the court.”
Addressing the launch of the university, which has been named after Altaf’s late father, the MQM chief strongly spoke in favor of former president Pervez Musharraf. He asked why was Musharraf the only one to be implicated under Article 6 of the Constitution.
“Those who have charged Musharraf only under Article 6 are also violators of the Constitution,” he asserted before asking why was the former president the only one being kept in jail.
“People talk bad about Musharraf but they forget about Ziaul Haq.”
Altaf said that those who had arrested Nawaz Sharif before Musharraf’s plane had even landed should also be implicated.
The MQM chief said that if he was in a bad situation, no one should take advantage of it. “Anyone can have a bad day or night,” before clarifying he was not threatening anyone.
Speaking about the university, which offers courses in business studies, engineering and architecture, he said that it was an answer to terrorism and violence. “They can keep accusing us of violence but we will keep on buildings schools and universities.”
MQM’s chief said that he had envisioned opening up a university decades ago, and now it had become a reality. He said that the university will offer education to people belonging from every ethnic background and on merit basis.
Altaf said that there was corruption in different institutions, and said that the criminals go scot free while the innocent are implicated. “When people complain against extortion, the extortionists come to their homes.”
He said that for a criminal free society, education is necessary. “Everyone should be treated equally, and everyone should get equal opportunities of education.”
The MQM chief said that he had never spoken about dividing Sindh, but said that society was divided on lack of awareness and education. He said that there was injustice and corruption in the society because of illiteracy.
Altaf said that there were only two percent in the country which were misusing the religion and carrying out terrorism in the name of Islam, while the rest were firm believers of peace and tolerance.
COMMENTS (57)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
always use to thought how come a karachiite not missed Karachi, with all its flaws and real issues, Karachi is no doubt (still) Karachi!!!
If he returns, he will face a more terrible fate than Musharraf. Muhajir leaders have no future in Pakistan. Muhajirs should do a mass emigration to Canada, Australia, UK, USA and Middle East. There is no place for us in pakland. unfortunate reality.
please don't comeback stay there
He is very chubby. He must be eating a lot of fatty food that is why his looks are not healthy.
LOL
What a surprise!!! Altaf Hussain is coming to Pakistan when his party is apparently out of the Government after being coalition under Musharraf for 05 years tenure and then coalition with PPP (NROed) for another 05 years. The then Governments (Mush & Zardari) had failed to give any security guarantee to Bhoi. Hence the law & order situation has markedly improved in the country to compel Britishers to visit Pakistan.
April fool day has passed lol:)
Well what evokes this sudden love for Pakistan return in the gold heart of Great Quaid could be found in the files of Scotland Yard perhaps
There is no need for a Pakistani passport. He can apply for a Pakistan Origin Card (POC).
@Muhajir: really muhajir? but why??? i mean i understand MQM is among few parties that has no wadera blood, but that is mainly because in Karachi and Muhajirs left their wadera raj in india, besides what altaf is doing and has done is no different than bhutoo or others who tried to become ruthless dictators (criminals), trust me MQM is better of without him and muhajirs better of without MQM. Muhajirs need atleast a part that has courage to talk about seperate province where they have a shot at getting job like provincial, police, (or a country with jobs in armed forces). muhajors are marginalized and MQM is not representing them mainly becuase this bhai has a dream to rule the entire country
Look at the way the "true" patriots of Pakistan don't let an opportunity go to ridicule MQM and AH. We couldn't become the son of the soil and won't be! Its best to stay abroad rather than live like a third grade citizen in so called "own land"!
Why can't he use his British Passport to travel to Pakistan, if he really wants it. Drama Queen
Have you read the Motto on the back of KPK trucks : "Kabhi ao na Mardan" !!!!
@Ali Qasim:
Forget Scotland Yard! My question is if the Rabita Committee of MQM has allowed the Bhai to come back to Pakistan. It has always been claimed by Farooq Sattar on numerous forums that it is indeed his decision as the Deputy Convenor of Rabita Committee to forbid the Bhai to come to Pakistan out of fear for latter's safety and security.
strange, did Scotland Yard allow mr. altaf to be back?
AH..
After all these years Altaf Bhai has this epiphany that he will return to Pakistan.......my guess is it will never happen.
If Altaf Hussain is returning to Pakistan, then remember this is the biggest joke of the century. This statement is meaningless. Salams
Why didn't he apply for Indian Passport? Didn't he say the creation of Pakistan was the blunder in the history of mankind..
@Abid P. Khan: Altaf bhai is a common man. He will face all the problems like a common man.
@Ammar: He is a Pakistani national. Pakistan allows dual nationality. What are you talking about??
@unbelievable: Do you know what happened to Benazir?? Still, Altaf bhai is lion and is returning now. Happy now?
@Kiran: No case has been registered against him. Why false accusations against him?! Do you have any proof? Is UK government stopping him from leaving legally? No! Altaf bhai is a free man and wants to return to his motherland, what is wrong with that?!
Please come Altaf bhai. Millions will come on streets in Pakistan to greet you! We can't wait to see the lion of Pak. I was only 7 years old when you left Altaf bhai. We are with you!
People will miss his entertaining telephone addresses if he returns back to Pakistan. May be then his he address his followers in London on phone. But do give him Pakistani Passport
All these years he never cared to get Pakistani passport or ID card, what has changed now?
Protest Peacefully! How cute...
Get ready for some new Dramedy(drama, comedy).
After the Pakistani people's disappointment with PTI, Altaf Bhai is the last hope of Pakistan.
Altaf bhai we welcome you from all our heart but we have a feeling you are trying to run from the law of the land you live in! :P
“When people complain against extortion, the extortionists come to their homes.”....look whose talking...
This is my favorite Altaf press conference.
Zindabad Altaf Bahai!
Pakistan's last hope.
Rather than facing the wrath and possible jail time in the UK, Altaf Hussain considers going back to Pakistan as a better option.
Altaf says he has applied for Pakistan passport, can return 'anytime' . He has been away for quite a few years from the country if he returns he ought to bear a few factors before he really returns:
Security even for an ordinary citizen is quite a challange even if nobody is out to kill him/her. Traffic has become even more hazardous whether you use public transport or not. A very unreliable power supply means difficult to maintain comfortable room temperature. Scarcity of water is getting even worse. Fresh fruit and vegetables are not easy to buy anymore..All these factors may pose a risk to your health.
If it is denied? When there is no reason for any such denial why would he even talk about what would happen if it is denied.
Passport/NIC renewal is a simple process that every citizen needs to get done.
Passport and I.D. car is not enough, please arrange millions for security too.
Altaf Bhai, Pakistan has the red carpet ready!!!
Good ! When are you planning to leave U.K. ? You have been enough of headache as asylum seeker for us poor Taxpayers in U.K. ! Please return to your Land of Pure and deal with whatever is your agenda !
The choice of picture........ wow !
Before he comes home, he will have to clear his name from Scotland Yard regarding $600,000 found in one of his houses.
its the same approach that led to BB getting killed, AH thinks he can come and everyone will be ok with the past, past is not dead and might even haunt him.
So he has now realized that the backdoor for entry in government is closed and establishment is brought to its constitutional role.
He has been sharing Government with Dictator Musharraf and then his NRO beneficiary Asif Zardari but coming to Pakistan only after the worst is over!
haha... British Citizens are applying for Pakistani Immigration. ..yeh waqt b ana ta...cheers :)
Someone explain how a guy can lead a prominent political party, live in the UK, and not even own a Pakistani passport. For a guy who talks tough against terrorism he doesn't appear to have the courage to live in Pakistan.
the noose is getting tighter in britain so hes leaving! he knows here nothing will happen to him no matter what he does...
Great to know that Bhai's passport and NIC expired at the same time after so long. Were they valid for much more than 10 years unlike passports for ordinary people in most countries? Please do come home, better late than never.
Will he face courts for Karachi killing?