Derogatory remarks: MQM to observe black day today

Party to stage large demonstration; says Khursheed Shah’s remarks have hurt the sentiments of the whole Muslim world

KARACHI:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced on Saturday that it would observe a ‘black day’ today (Sunday) in protest against the “derogatory remarks” used by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah against “Mohajirs”.

Addressing a news conference at the party’s Nine Zero headquarters on Saturday, MQM Rabita Committee members — including Abdul Haseeb Khan, Wasay Jalil and Amir Kham — appealed to transporters and traders to shut their businesses in order to support the black day call.

“The black day is being observed throughout the country,” said Abdul Haseeb, adding that Shah, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, repeated his “derogatory” comments against Mohajirs not once but four times during his media talk a few days ago.

He said the Rabita committee in London had also endorsed the decision. Both leaders of the party and its workers would wear black arm bands and hoist flags in their offices to record their peaceful protest.

Haseeb was of the view that Shah’s remarks had whipped up a frenzy among Urdu-speaking people, who had rendered great sacrifices for the country.

“The MQM has also filed a petition for blasphemy under Article 295-C against Khursheed Shah and it is the judiciary’s prerogative to make a decision on it,” he added.

Three hours after the first press conference, the MQM Rabita Committee’s Deputy Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui once again addressed the media and said the party will also hold a demonstration in Karachi at 3:00pm to protest against Shah’s ‘blasphemous comments’.

He said Shah’s comments had hurt the sentiments of the whole Muslim world.  Both Shah and the PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto’s remarks against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain led the MQM to abandon the PPP-led coalition government in Sindh

Shah had tendered an apology a few minutes after his statement but the MQM said he had passed insulting remarks with regard to the word ‘Mohajir’, a term which, it said, was also used for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as he had migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

Altaf and Mohajir Rabita Council endorsed the appeal for black day. Meanwhile, Karachi Transport Ittehad Chairman Irshad Bukhari also said that transport will remain off the road today (Sunday).

Meanwhile, businesses in different parts of Karachi started to close down after the MQM announced plans to observe ‘black day’ on Sunday (today).

The affected localities included Federal B Area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony, Kharadar and Mithadar areas.

In these areas, commercial activities, which usually continue till late night started to slacken by the evening and shops and fuel pumps in various localities were also closed down.

However, no incident of aerial firing or forced closing was reported.

After the MQM’s announcement, police and Rangers personnel mounted patrolling. To avoid any untoward incident, the law enforcement agencies were asked to be on alert and take stern action against anyone found engaged in closing businesses and shops.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2014.