Altaf dissolves Tanzeemi committee, warns Rabita Committee to improve performance

Let me come to Pakistan for just 15 days and I will end land mafia in Karachi, says MQM chief.

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Thursday warned Raibta Committee members and party leadership to improve their performance or they would be replaced, Express News reported.

Addressing party workers at Lal Qila ground on Thursday, a less than happy MQM chief announced to dissolve the Karachi Tanzeemi Committee (KTC) by next Thursday. The same time period was extended to the Rabita Committee with the warning they should improve their performance.

“The Rabita Committee refuses to come out of their comfort zones. Have you all forgotten how I used to roam around in a Honda 50 motorcycle and deal with the issues of the people?,” said Altaf Hussain

KTC which deals with the organizational setup of units and sectors, and Rabita Committee which oversees policy matters of the party were last dissolved after the general elections in May 2013 following complaints by workers regarding its inefficiency, and a new setup of both the committees came into being. However Altaf was displeased with the current setup as well as party leaders have failed to address the issues, perform duties at the party headquarters and sectors offices of their constituencies and have not been visiting their areas.

The MQM chief said that jobs of 17 grade and 19 grade were being handed out in the name of MQM and as much as Rs100,000 commission was being taken in return. He said the parliamentarians are not even giving donations for the deceased workers of the party.

Listing their grievances to Hussain, party workers called for dissolution of the committees as well as accountability of the leaders. “They only sit in their big cars with ac turned on. They should be asked how they got such expensive vehicles,” taunted one man. Another said, “They should hang their heads in shame. The leaders treat us workers as servants.”

As the workers spoke, the Rabita Committee members including deputy convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, Nasreen Jalil and others kept staring at the ground, their face turning solemn and pale.

Workers suggested that members of the Rabita Committee should not be kept for more than six months as Altaf agreed and said that honest and hardworking people be chosen.

Expressing his displeasure with performance of the party leaders, Hussain, asked his party workers to relieve him of the responsibility of party leadership. The MQM chief said either reform the Raibta Committee or chose someone from the party to lead the movement.

Lamenting the fact that his party leaders are not meeting the general public and visiting their constituencies, the MQM chief asked his party leader to come out of their comfortable air-conditioned offices and visit their parts of the city and serve the people.

“I would like to request you to give me enough time to regain my strength, in the meantime you can make a new committee and select a new leader for the party.”

But after after workers chanted his name in unison, the MQM chief took back his decision to step down.

Referring to the complaints of land grabbing in the city, he said that he has received information that some people were maliciously demarcating plots and selling it in different areas of the city.

“Let me come to Pakistan for just 15 days, and I will set everything straight and end the land mafia in Karachi,” said Hussain.

“If you let me come for six months, I will clean the whole country.”

The MQM chief added that he would not only set straight the Taliban but also those sectarian outfits who were killing each other.

Commenting on the current political turmoil with protests in the capital, Hussain said, “If I had a say in the Army or was an official, then I would have come out on my own to rescue the country.

He further said that everyone had made a mockery of the country, economy was already in bad shape but both civil and military leadership is silent.

I don’t want to be disrespectful, but military and civilian leadership should think about it, the MQM chief said.

Recalling the sacrifices made by his ancestors to make Pakistan, Hussain said that his ancestors had given sacrifices of 2 million people for Pakistan and he was ready to sacrifice 20 million to build a new country. 'But i am a peace loving man; I will not let go the efforts of our elders of making this to waste.”

MQM chief said the ongoing operation by Rangers was targeting their workers. Altaf said that whatever happens to him in Britain, he will not bow down in front of anyone except God.

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan's membership suspended

Later on, MQM Rabita Committee suspended the party membership of Senator Abul Haseeb Khan.

According to a statement issued by the party, Khan was suspended for neglecting his party responsibilities. The statement further added that responsibilities of former Rabita Committee member Nasir Jamal have been assigned to the news committee of the information division of the party.

Both the decisions were endorsed by the MQM chief.