KARACHI: Sindh Assembly lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously accepted a resolution against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain which calls for action against the supremo under treason laws.
The resolution condemns incendiary anti-Pakistan statements raised by Altaf Hussain on Aug 22 after which the ARY News office was attacked.
“The house condemns all sorts of crimes, torture, terrorism, and anti-Pakistan slogans and activities carried out by any side, and the most strict action should be taken against those responsible as per law and Article 6 of the Constitution,” a copy of the resolution states. It added that house expresses solidarity with the parliament, armed forces, media, judiciary and all democratic institutions in Pakistan. This is the first Sindh Assembly session since Altaf’s Aug 22 speech. The house took up three resolutions demanding trial of the MQM supremo and his supporters under Article 6 of the Constitution, which pertains to treason.
The move comes a day after the MQM’s Pakistan leadership removed Altaf’s London-based coterie from the top decision-making forum of the party as Coordination Committee convener Nadeem Nusrat asserted that Altaf was still the party’s uncontested chief.
MQM’s Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hassan was emotional as he addressed the house.
“This party was built by mothers. I spent my youth in this party. My mother sent me to join the MQM. At that time, mothers would leave their spoilt children at the unit office and leave them there to learn how to converse, how to behave, to learn literature and writing,” he said. “We even used to make kids in schools and colleges do their homework at the office.”
“Some things grew bad with time. It became worse… I am fighting for millions of people. I don’t tell them that they can’t join the PPP, the PTI or the JI. But if even after Aug 22, I stand in election and receive votes, it means that the party is the last hope for these people.” “No one can take on this work apart from us, because we are intimately familiar with the mohajir people and this party,” he said. After Altaf’s speech, “what options did we have?” Izhar wondered.
“Like others, we could power off our cellphones and thinking about saving our lives and leaving the country. We could have changed our party within the hour. Everything would have been resolved and the nation would appreciate our actions.”
Instead, the party’s leadership opted for a third option ? To deliver the party from the pressure and the shame it faced after the chief’s speech. “We took this decision without any dictation, without listening to anyone. This was the most difficult decision. But I couldn’t leave my people or let the party be ruined.”
We have decided to walk this difficult path so our people can find peace at the end of this ordeal, he said.
“We received a long wishlist after Aug 22. It’s been a month since then, but we still can’t get away from this wishlist,” he said, referring to demands being made of MQM party leadership to dissociate from the MQM supremo.
“Stop giving us wishlists. Either you believe in us, or you shut the party down,” Izhar said. “Workers become emotional. Sloganeering happens,” he said.
“I think we must keep an eye on those who say Pakistan zindabad and continue looting Pakistan.”
Faisal Sabzwari of MQM Pakistan who returned to the country from Dubai after around six months addressed the participants and said that alliance between Mohajir and Punjabi communities was there even before establishment of the party.
He said that the notion that MQM Pakistan was established out of fear was wrong and that the lawmakers were indebted to the city and the country.
However, he expressed his concerns saying that MQM founder raised an unacceptable slogan that led to demands of imposition of Article 6 while leaders of PTI, alleged of attack on state-owned television were left as they wished.
He appreciated Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah’s action that he took after Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izharul Hassan was arrested last week under terror charges. He urged the government and sections of society to not marginalize the organization but stand by it as Mohajir community was not a traitor and would never be.
MQM legislator Rauf Siddiqui expressed sorrow that anti-Pakistan statements were made by someone who he adorned the most. August 22, 2016 was one of the five worst nights that I have lived, I could not tolerate those speaking against Islam and Pakistan for the creation of which hundreds of thousands of people sacrificed their lives and hundreds of thousands are ready to sacrifice their lives to save it.
Earlier, outside the assembly he said that the MQM does not have a founder. “Farooq Sattar is its chairman.” He added that he was not pressurized in custody to change loyalties.
Speaking on the floor of the House, PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman said what Altaf Hussain said must be responded with punishment of no less than execution.
He claimed that Altaf was a friend of anti-Pakistan elements. “We must accept that Pakistan state had made some mistakes in the past for letting him go scot-free.”
He said: “We won’t accept politics of weapons in Karachi anymore.” He reiterated that anyone speaking against Pakistan must face charges under article 6 of the Constitution.
PPP leader Nisar Khuhro said the entire nation/community must not be defamed for an act of just single person. —INP