MQM Rabita committee says if their grievances are not reconciled, they had no other option but to stage strikes. PHOTO: MQM
Lashing out at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has demanded that the premier must apologise to the people living in Karachi.
“Nawaz Sharif likens the deaths of poor people in the city to death of flies. He should apologise to the people for insulting them,” Altaf said, while addressing a press conference at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Friday night.
The MQM’s strong reaction was triggered by an earlier statement of the PM, who, during a visit to Karachi on Friday, said strikes have become so frequent in the metropolis that the city shuts down even if a fly dies.
The party chief said that the premier should be cautious and careful while choosing his words; however, he clarified that they were not against Nawaz Sharif. He said his party was trying to find out names of the traders who complained to the prime minister.
Altaf once again criticised Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, saying he could not do anything. “If I were the governor, I would have resigned. He doesn’t even know if his name is on the Exit Control List or not,” he said,
Commenting on the Rangers report which was unveiled on Thursday, Altaf said weapons are bought from stolen or illegal money.
The report claimed that billions of rupees collected from extortion, land grabbing, targeted killings and rackets were flowing into the coffers of some top personalities of the Sindh province, including politicians, civil servants and gang lords.
“It should also be told and investigated as to how weapons reach the city. Weapons are transported to Karachi by passing through all the security check posts,” he said.
Earlier, in a separate press conference the MQM condemned the Rangers’ report.
“The MQM does not force anyone to give fitra, zakat or animal hides [on Eidul Azha]. We strongly condemn the allegations by the Rangers,” said the MQM parliamentarian and Rabita Committee member Dr Farooq Sattar on Friday.
The party leader said while the MQM was not named in the Rangers report, the party’s media trial had already started and it was the only group being targeted.
“We deny allegations that the party snatches hides of sacrificial animals and uses its money to buy weapons. Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation [the party’s welfare wing] is a charitable organisation and we work for humanitarian causes,” he said.
Sattar said the report came at a time when Ramazan, the month in which funds for charity are raised, is round the corner.
The MQM chief in his late Thursday night address had also declared the report unfortunate and baseless.
“I am also collecting proofs about corrupt persons, and will present them to the public to show how much money people have,” he had said, adding that the responsibility of the forces was to protect the borders and provide protection, and they should be focusing on that work only.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2015.
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