Army should be prepared to side with the people: Altaf Hussain

MQM chief says new administrative units need to be created to save the country.

KARACHI: While marking his 61st birthday, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain early on Wednesday said that the army, which had taken over for its own reasons in the past, should be prepared to side with the people of Pakistan, Express News reported.

Hitting out at his adversaries for criticising him for calling for more administrative units, Hussain said there is not a single country in the world with a population as big as Pakistan's and have so few administrative units. "In order to save Pakistan, more administrative units need to be created."

“Now even Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan are also calling for more administrative units, what I have been advocating for more than three decades.”

Addressing his party workers and supporters via telephone on his 61st birthday, the MQM chief called for holding local body election.

“People have been spreading false propaganda that MQM is finished and Altaf Hussain’s comrades have left him alone, I want to tell them that my workers can die but they can never leave me."

Urging Sindhi nationalist leaders to avoid confrontation, the MQM chief asked everyone to spread the message of love since that is the only way of truly becoming one nation. He lamented that they had been victimised and called traitors for demanding new administrative units.

Side with the people

Addressing armed forces of the country, the MQM chief said defence of the country is the army’s duty while running government’s affair is the duty of the civilians. But in a country where the "top judge of the highest court is accused of rigging, in that country, the army should be prepared to side with the people," said Altaf.

Reforming the party

Still fresh from the events of the weekend, where a disgruntled Altaf had resigned, only to withdraw the resignation on the insistence of MQM workers, he reiterated his commitment to reform the party.

Altaf said that he would appoint honest and hard working people at all the administered posts of his party.

Talking about the corrupt elements in his own party, Altaf said, people who have adopted a feudal outlook in the party, and have become arrogant, he will take the 'iron rod' out of their necks.

MQM chief urged his workers to respect party leaders, adding that he is looking into allegations of corruption and mismanagement by party leaders. He vowed to revive the MQM’s golden days.