Altaf Hussain: From the ‘Martial Law Revolution’ to the ‘Soldier No 2542671 Explanation’
Mr L K Advani, President Bharatia Janta Party welcoming Mr Altaf Hussain at his residence in India in November 2004
In today’s Jang, MQM’s informal spokesman Hasan Nisar has published a letter by the MQM’s chief Altaf Hussain in which he explains the ‘reasons’ behind his desire for a ‘martial law revolution’ in Pakistan.
آپ کو یاد ہوگا پچھلے دنوں ایم کیو ایم کے قائد الطاف حسین نے وردی پہن کر واپس آنے کی بات کی جومیرے سر کے اوپر سے گزر گئی۔ ہمارا کام ایسا ہے کہ نہ چاہتے ہوئے بھی ہر سیاسی پارٹی کے کچھ لوگوں کے ساتھ ذاتی سا تعلق بن جاتا ہے جسے ”پرسنل لائیکنگ“ کہنا زیادہ مناسب ہوگا سو میں نے MQM کے ایک ایسے ہی دوست سے رابطہ کرکے ”وردی میں واپسی“ والے بیان پر اپنا ”کنفیوژن“ پیش کیا تو بات الطاف بھائی تک جا پہنچی۔ الطاف حسین کی طرف سے موصول ہونے والا جواب ہی وہ جواب ہے جسے میں نے بے حد دلچسپ، سنسنی خیز اور انوکھا لکھا ہے… ملاحظہ فرمایئے اور کسی پروپیگنڈہ کے زیراثر نہ ہوں تو پھر صدقے واری بھی جایئے۔
لکھتے ہیں…
”زندگی کی اولین خواہش یہ تھی کہ ڈاکٹر بنوں لیکن 1965کی جنگ میں میرے خیالات تبدیل ہوگئے۔ اب فوج میں شامل ہونے کی دھن سوار ہوگئی۔ 1971 کی بات ہے جب میں کراچی کے سٹی کالج میں انٹر سائنس کا طالب علم تھا۔ عمرہوگی کوئی 19 سال۔ یحییٰ خان حکومت نے نیشنل کیڈٹ کور سکیم شروع کی۔فوجیوں کی ٹیم لڑکوں کے انتخاب کے لئے ہمارے کالج بھی آئی۔ ٹیسٹ وغیرہ لئے گئے جو میں نے کوالیفائی کرلئے اور یوں میں نیشنل کیڈٹ کور سکیم کے لئے منتخب کرلیا گیا۔ میری خوشی کی انتہا نہ تھی۔ میں نے ضد کرکے گھر والوں سے پیسے لے کر محلے میں مٹھائی تقسیم کی۔
سلیکشن کے بعد ہمیں ٹریننگ کے لئے بھیج دیا گیا جو کراچی کینٹ سے شروع ہوئی۔ پھرہمیں حیدر آباد کینٹ لے جایا گیا ۔ٹریننگ کے دوران ہی مشرقی پاکستان میں جنگ شروع ہوگئی۔ شدید خواہش تھی کہ محاذ پر بھیجا جائے اور دعا یہ تھی کہ دشمن کے کم از کم دس فوجی مار کر شہادت نصیب ہو۔ سخت ٹریننگ کے دوران پی ٹی ہوتی، ہمیں مارچ، پٹھو پریڈ، تھمپ پریڈ اور مختلف قسم کی ایکسرسائزز کرائی جاتیں۔ شروع میں مجھے رائفل پکڑنی بھی نہ آتی تھی لیکن زبردست محنت کے بعد یہ نوبت آئی کہ میں جب بھی چاند ماری کے لئے جاتا ہمیشہ فرسٹ آتا۔ ہماری رہائش میں اوپر نیچے دودو بیڈ ہوتے تھے۔ ایک دن میں کپڑے نکال رہا تھا کہ ”نعرہ تکبیر اللہ اکبر“ کی گونج سنائی دی۔ میں سمجھ گیا کہ جنگ مغربی سرحدوں تک آ پہنچی ہے۔ میں نے قمیص پہنے بغیرہی اوپر سے چھلانگ لگا دی اور دیوانہ وار باہر لپکا جہاں یہ خوشخبری ملی کہ ہمیں محاذ جنگ پر بھیجا جائے گا۔ پھر ایک دن رات ڈیڑھ بجے ہمیں سامان باندھنے کا حکم ملا۔ حیدر آباد سے ٹرین پر روانہ ہوئے۔ دشمن کی مسلسل بمباری کے سبب ٹرین جگہ جگہ رکتی رہی۔ کراچی تک کا سفر 15,14 گھنٹوں میں مکمل ہوا۔ کراچی کینٹ سے ہمیں ٹرکوں پر ٹرانزٹ کیمپ لے جایا گیا جہاں معلوم ہوا کہ ہمیں مشرقی پاکستان بھیجا جارہا ہے کیونکہ ہمیں جن ہتھیاروں کی ٹریننگ دی گئی تھی وہ زیادہ تر دوبدو جنگ میں ہی استعمال ہوتے تھے۔ دو دستے کیماڑی پہنچا دیئے گئے جنہیں بحری رستہ سے مشرقی پاکستان جانا تھا لیکن ناکہ بندی کے باعث رستے مسدود تھے۔ خون کھولتا رہا لیکن بے بس تھے۔ پھر ”نیشنل کیڈٹ کور“ کے تمام کیڈٹوں کو ”57 بلوچ رجمنٹ“ میں تبدیل کردیا گیا اور اس 57بلوچ رجمنٹ کو ٹرکوں پر بٹھا کر بلوچستان سیکٹر کے قریب سونمیانی (مکران کے ساحل پر واقعہ بندرگاہ) بھیج دیا گیا کیونکہ بھارتی طیارے اسی طرف سے حملہ آور ہوتے تھے۔ نمیانی میں ہماری رجمنٹ کی چارکمپنیاں لگی تھیں۔ ان میں سے ایک یعنی میری کمپنی کا نام”ڈیلٹا“ تھا جبکہ میرا سپاہی نمبر 2542671تھا۔ ”نمیانی“ میں بارڈر ٹریننگ کے دوران بھی ہر روز نماز میں شہادت کی دعا مانگتا۔
اسی دوران جنگ بندی ہوگئی لیکن شوق شہادت آج بھی زندہ ہے اور سچ یہ کہ میں آج بھی خود کو بلوچ رجمنٹ کا ریزرو سپاہی سمجھتا ہوں اور بوقت ضرورت ملک کو اندرونی، بیرونی دشمنوں، چوروں، اچکوں، استحصالیوں اور دھوکہ دینے والوں سے نجات دلانے کے لئے وردی پہننے کے لئے تیار ہوں۔ کل بھی وطن کا سپاہی تھا۔ آج بھی ہوں۔ لبیک اے مادر ِ وطن! لبیک
Interestingly, Hasan Nisar (I don’t suggest he is on the payroll of the MQM or the military establishment) finally concludes in the shape of a prayer that not unlike Tunisia, may Pakistan get rid of its exploiters and that a soldier named Altaf Hussain may play a key role in such revolution in Pakistan.
کم از کم میرے نزدیک تو قائد تحریک کی شخصیت کا یہ پہلو بہت دلچسپ، انوکھا اور حیران کن ہے۔ ”آپ بیتی“ کے اس حصے میں بین السطو ر بھی بہت کچھ ہے… آپ کو یہ سپاہی سیاستدان کیسا لگا؟ … سپاہی نمبر 2542671 اللہ کرے تیونس سے لے کر پاکستان تک پورا عالم اسلام اپنے اپنے استحصالیوں سے نجات حاصل کرسکے… آمین
Source: Jang
Context 1; August 2010
Altaf wants army to act against corrupt leaders
KARACHI, Aug 22: In a surprise move, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said on Sunday that “the MQM will openly support the patriotic generals if they take any martial law-type action against corrupt politicians and feudal lords”.
In a telephonic address from London to a workers’ convention at the MQM headquarters here, Mr Hussain criticised the politicians, ‘feudal lords’ and army generals and also lashed out at the United States for what he called supporting the feudal lords instead of the masses.
A few hours after the address, MQM leader Farooq Sattar told a private news channel that Mr Hussain had not supported imposition of martial law, but rather issued a policy statement that reflected his ‘courageous’ stance. “The country is in the ICU (intensive care unit) and needs surgery,” Mr Sattar said.
Referring to the country’s chequered political history, Mr Hussain said the army generals had in the past directly or indirectly ruled Pakistan through martial laws, in clear violation of the mandate of millions.
“If these generals can topple political and democratic governments they can also take steps to weed out corrupt politicians and feudal lords.”
The MQM chief called upon “patriotic army generals” to stop supporting the feudals and corrupt politicians for the sake of the country. Action against corrupt politicians should be taken irrespective of which party they belonged to.
He said that at a time when the country’s integrity was at risk, well-known and senior politicians were playing a game of musical chair and trying to make it to the corridors of power.
Mr Hussain also criticised the country’s foreign policy and said it was ineffective compared to that of neighbouring India.
He said that during foreign trips Pakistani leaders and diplomats spent more time in shopping than in meeting world leaders and diplomats. In contrast, the Indian leaders pleaded their case in a far more effective manner.
The MQM chief said the war in Afghanistan was mainly between the Soviet Union and the United States, but in Pakistan it was portrayed as a conflict between Islam and the evil. During the war, army generals and the so-called religious forces pocketed plenty of money. After the war, the army did nothing to change the country’s foreign policy, Mr Hussain said.
He said the army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) should decide once and for all that Pakistan would make no compromises over its sovereignty and integrity and that US dictations would be ignored.
About the worst calamity in Pakistan’s history, he said although many towns and villages had been wiped out, feudal lords had used their clout to divert floodwaters to save their own land. “Such feudal lords committed a crime against humanity and they should be tried for mass murder.”
He said he would like to ask where the funds donated by the international community after the 2005 earthquake had gone. “Why didn’t the government buy helicopters which would have been useful in providing relief to the flood-affected people now?”
He lauded the role of the army and said its personnel were doing their best to save their fellow countrymen affected by the calamity.
Mr Hussain said Pakistan desperately needed a change and the MQM could bring about that change and take action against corrupt leaders and feudal lords.
He asked US President Barack Obama to review his policies towards Pakistan.
Source: Dawn, 23 August 2010
Context 2: January 2011
Altaf calls for martial law in Punjab
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said on Monday that martial law should be imposed in Punjab since crimes against women and kidnappings for ransom were rife in the province.
He appealed to the people and students of Punjab to support his party`s demand. “Those who impose martial law every now and then, why are they not coming forward to end the curse of extortion, killings and other crimes,” he wondered.
Speaking from London to the reinstated employees of KESC at Nine Zero, the MQM headquarters, Mr Hussain said a “revolution is unavoidable” and expressed the hope that generals and judges would not support feudal lords and capitalists, but the vast majority. He appealed to the military and the judiciary to support people if they tried to usher in a change reminiscent of the French revolution.
The MQM chief said if necessary, he would return to the country to make it truly independent and self-reliant and provide better living condition to people. “If the military or the judiciary tries to obstruct my way, I will not bow before them and stand by the people.”
He urged the nation to support the MQM against criminals, saying that people were fed up with kidnappings for ransom, extortion and other crimes. “If the armed forces do not act now, they would also be put in the dock in case of a revolution by people,” Mr Hussain said.
He accused the Punjab government of having failed to curb criminal and terrorist activities and improve the law and order situation.
The MQM chief urged the president and the prime minister to eliminate terrorists and militants from the country with the help of the army and law-enforcement agencies.
He said the MQM did not believe in ethnicity and stood for the rights of all oppressed people. He warned against privatising national assets for the benefit of a few.
He said the armed forces were the most powerful institution and the judiciary was independent, yet the political leadership was confined to a few powerful families. “These families take loans and get them written off and build their empire in foreign lands.
“On the other hand, the country is being forced to beg from the IMF and the World Bank and compromise its honour and independence.”
Source: Dawn, 25 Jan 2011
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-c…n=mobile_detail
Altaf’s remarks about martial law criticised by most parties
Monday, 23 Aug, 2010
KARACHI: Almost every ruling and opposition parties have opposed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain’s call to ‘patriotic generals to take action similar to martial law against corrupt politicians’, saying that a civilian set-up must be supported over a military rule.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain told his party workers on Sunday that army generals had imposed martial laws in the past and so they could take a similar action again to weed out corrupt politicians and the MQM would support such an act.
Every party expressed its concern over the MQM chief’s call.
Commenting on Mr Hussain’s speech, a senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Taj Haider, said that “such statements are not welcome”. However, he hastily added that he would not say anything that might affect the working relationship of the PPP and the MQM, which are coalition partner at the centre and in Sindh. “We are following the policy of reconciliation and would continue to pursue it.”
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Saleem Zia said that his party had a great respect for the country’s armed forces and it was a firm believer that every organisation should play its due role as envisaged in the Constitution.
He said that the army was doing a wonderful job in the fight against militancy, it had defended the country from external threats, it had done a good job in the relief and rehabilitation work after the 2005 earthquake and it was doing a good rescue and relief operation amid devastating floods.
He said that the intervention of armed forces in politics was not a good thing and earlier experiences had shown that the country suffered a lot during military rules.
He said that the MQM was a partner in the general Musharraf-led government, which was almost like a martial law, and as to why it did not ask the then military ruler to weed out corruption.
He said that corruption was rampant in the country in every segment of the society, but it was inappropriate to target just politicians.
He said that his party would never support army intervention to remove a civilian set up.
Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) said that though the current civilian set up had given worst governance and corruption was rampant, yet he would not support the army intervention to disrupt the civilian set up.
He said that he believed that even worst of the democratic governments was better than the best of dictatorships.
He said that the present civilian government had failed miserably as it was taking important national decisions just for personal gains.
Amin Khattak of the Awami National Party said that his party would not support martial law.
He said that the past experience showed that the country had suffered greatly under martial laws.
He said that heroin and gun culture was the product/gifts of the past martial laws.
He said that during the military rules, sectarian and ethnic organizations were created to divide the political forces. He said that even a bad democratic government was better than a good martial law.
A leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Functional), Jam Madad Ali, said that martial law is not a good form of government and he always preferred democracy. He said that he would not support martial law.
However, he said that effective steps should be taken to check the menace of corruption. He said he would support any action taken to control corruption but under a civilian set up. He said that people of the country did not like martial laws and had always protested against the dictatorial regimes.
Jamiat Ulema Islam (F) leader Qari Usman said that their party could not support martial law as the pervious experiences had shown that the country had suffered a great deal under the army rules.
He said that to root out corruption there were proper anti-corruption laws the only thing missing was their proper implementation. He said his party would not support any new martial law.
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, this reporter could not able to contact any leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami to get their viewpoint.
Call for army’s intervention mischievous and inappropriate: HRCP
Lahore, August 23: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has slammed as entirely inappropriate and mischievous the demand by the head of a political party for the military to “take any martial law-type action
against corrupt politicians and feudals”.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the Commission said: “It is a poor reflection on the nation’s adherence to democratic norms when one of the main political parties starts pleading not with parliament, or with the people, but with ‘patriotic army generals’ to act against politicians.
There may be many complaints against politicians and the democratically elected government of Pakistan. Some of them may be justified as well. But there are also many ways of dealing with these complaints, and a return to military rule is certainly not one of them. Matters can be raised in parliament and dealt with in a democratic manner. One fails to see the hurdle in following such a course when the party in question is part of the ruling coalition in Sindh and at the Centre.
Experience has demonstrated beyond any doubt that army takeovers were rationalized on the pretext of eliminating corruption but they only aggravated the state of affairs.
As for the need to demolish the bastions of federalism, the feudals survived long periods of military-backed dictatorships and a fresh dose of this medicine is unlikely to affect their health. Pakistan will be able to rid the curse of feudalism only when the people’s genuine representatives can democratically come into power.
Not that there ever would be a good time to make demands like that, but they are all the more mischievous, unwelcome and entirely inappropriate at a time when the country is devastated by its worst natural disaster in living memory. The army should indeed be complimented on playing an active role in flood relief as much as any individual or organization should be for doing their job.
The ‘chequered history’ of Pakistan that the respected politician refers to is chequered in no small part because of the military rulers’ constantly denying the mandate of the people. The change that ‘Pakistan desperately needed’ is not from civilian rule to martial law but for persistence with democratic governance. Pakistan simply cannot afford another hiatus in the democratic process.”
Dr Mehdi Hasan
Chairperson
http://hrcpblog.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/call-for-army%E2%80%99s-intervention-mischievous-and-inappropriate-hrcp/
Altaf Hussain To Welcome Martial Law Against Corrupt Pakistani Politicians
Video on Zem TV
http://www.zemtv.com/2010/08/23/altaf-hussain-to-welcome-martial-law-against-corrupt-pakistani-politicians/
Altaf Hussain’s martial law balloon —Imtiaz Alam
Building upon his ethnic appeal among the Urdu-speakers of Sindh, Altaf Hussain created a subservient power structure, backed by his armed loyalists, who are under orders to kill those who dare to defy the leader
The martial law balloon floated by Mr Altaf Hussain, the MQM chief, has burst before it could even take off, thanks to an overwhelming reaction against it across all political divides, except for a media group and a bunch of beneficiaries-in-waiting. Among all democrats, Mian Nawaz Sharif and his PML-N deserve laurels for standing firm in defence of democracy and against any kind of military intervention. Quite curiously, the call for a military intervention was not addressed to the army chief, who is a professional Potohari soldier and not worthy of being “patriotic” in Mr Hussain’s eyes. The statement is tantamount to treason for fomenting a split in the army leadership and subverting the constitution. What is behind Altaf Hussain’s martial law balloon?
Mr Altaf Hussain’s provocative call to “patriotic generals” to clean up corruption and in fact pack up the democratically elected incumbents his party is in conflictual partnership with, and Mr Nawaz Sharif’s tougher rejoinder to his mimicry in defence of democracy, however flawed it may be, brings into sharp contrast the opposite pulls of our power structure and polity. This country has seen such insidious calls for martial law, and always on the pretext of getting rid of “corrupt and inefficient” politicians, with and without the blessings of the khakis in the past — some actually materialising in one after another takeover by the military rulers that always ended in greater disasters than whatever good they had promised as our ‘messiah’.
The urge for a messiah is as old as the helplessness rooted in the hopeless serf-feudal relationship that Mr Hussain is so fond of ‘fighting’ against while, ironically, reproducing it politically the way he lords over his political bandwagon as a feudal estate. Interestingly, Mr Hussian is himself a prototype messiah, whose political birth was midwifed by Amir-ul-Momineen General Ziaul Haq to create a countervailing urban force from among the Urdu-speaking settlers against the ‘feudal’ Bhutto’s PPP, which has to its credit that it fought against all military rulers for the restoration of democracy. Despite being a secular party and standing against religious terrorism, the MQM’s rabblerousing to “hang all the corrupt by any means” plays into the hands of the Islamic extremists who vow a bloody cleansing in a Taliban/Khomeini-style move. Even quite knowledgeable people are carried away by the fascist notion of taking a reprehensible course of mass-killing, much like the lumpen proletariat had performed on the streets of Paris during the French Revolution or the Taliban have done in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The MQM was created on the aggressive chauvinist appeal to Urdu-speakers to maintain the privileges of the salariat and frustrate the aspirations of the growing middle strata from among the deprived nationalities—Sindhis, Pashtuns and Baloch — while overcoming its rootlessness. Quite opportunistically, it became an appendage to successive military regimes to consolidate its ethnic power base in urban Sindh against the ‘feudal’ (read rural) Sindhis. It manipulated one party/ethnic group against the other to grab a greater share at the cost of the Sindhis and joined those feudal cliques who have had always sold the interests of the Sindhis. Building upon his ethnic appeal among the Urdu-speakers of Sindh, Altaf Hussain created a subservient power structure, backed by his armed loyalists, who are under orders to kill those who dare to defy the leader (Quaid ka jo ghadar hai, maut ka haqdar hai).
The MQM has remained in power by hook or crook for most of the time of its existence, especially during the martial laws of General Zia and General Musharraf (both quite ‘patriotic’?). The gravest worry for the MQM is that its so-called numerical ethnic majority in Karachi is under serious threat with radical demographic changes in the ethnic composition of urban Sindh. Most of the rural-to-urban migration is taking place towards Karachi. The outflow of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Pakhtunkhwa is mainly directed towards Karachi, resulting in ethnic tension between the Urdu-speakers and the Pakhtuns. Previous and recent target killings are in fact a battle for turf between the Mohajir and Pashtun mafias in Karachi, on the one hand, and to frustrate Pakhtun migration towards Karachi, on the other.
The havoc that the floods continue to cause, especially in Sindh now, has forced hundreds of thousands of Sindhi people from upper Sindh, including the poor and bonded labourers the MQM wants to emancipate from the yoke of the feudal landlords, to migrate towards Karachi for shelter. After Mohajirs have turned into a minority in Karachi, the MQM has become intolerant of any migration from anywhere, except fellow Biharis from Bangladesh. It has taken a “principled” stand against the migration of native Sindhis towards Karachi after having been uprooted from their native places, and has demanded the registration of the “homeless in their home”. Karachi has been part of Sindh since 1795, and our Mohajir friends are asking the natives for their permit. This has brought the Sindhi, Pakhtun and Mohajir coalition partners into an ominous conflict.
The call to the “patriotic generals” is to pressurise the PPP to stop the influx of Sindhis into Karachi, which will further reduce the numerical strength of Urdu-speakers. (It needs to be clarified that not all Mohajirs are in the MQM, not all Sindhis are in the PPP and not all Pakthuns are in the ANP). The fissures among the three coalition partners may lead to either the PPP bowing before the MQM’s demand to keep a new wave of Sindhis out of Karachi and lose its Sindhi constituency or the MQM going to any length to keep Karachi as its exclusive forte. But as the rural-to-urban migration grows and over a million Sindhis uprooted by the floods may prefer to settle in Karachi as their birthright, the Urdu-speakers may have to either contend with being a minority or make hell for whoever overtakes them. And obviously, the MQM will go to any extent to keep Karachi as its fief.
The bottom-line is that the MQM wants to retain its most privileged position that it had consolidated with the patronage of General Musharraf for nine long years. During the reign of Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, the MQM was the most dominant player in Sindh at the cost of the Sindhis and the PPP. It suited the MQM to have pseudo-Sindhi partners than a majority-PPP. Over half a dozen times, the MQM has threatened to quit the PPP-led coalition on one demand or the other and the PPP had to beat a retreat to keep its reconciliation policy going. When Hyderabad was reverted to its erstwhile status by the PPP, the MQM forced it to revive three districts that were created by General Musharraf to give a majority to the MQM in Hyderabad. Similarly, it kept the posts of governor, chief secretary and DCOs in Karachi in its kitty and did not let the PPP-led government have any say in the affairs of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
But, perhaps, the room to make adjustments is getting too cramped. The PPP cannot abandon the poor Sindhis from seeking refuge in Karachi, nor should have the MQM — as a matter of principle — opposed it. But politics is all about constituencies and the MQM is no exception. On this issue, the MQM’s salvo has backfired and did not get any takers among both the internal and external establishments the MQM is quite embedded with. It would not like to bet its assets at the wrong time and on a wrong issue. The PPP, in the meanwhile, should cover its flanks and extend an olive branch towards Mr Sharif, who is talking sense and behaving well.
Imtiaz Alam is Editor of South Asian Journal. He can be reached at imtiazalampak@yahoo.com
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20108\29\story_29-8-2010_pg3_4
Najam Sethi’s “wise” words in today’s The News
Who will save Pakistan?
We have experimented with men on horseback like Gens Ayub, Zia and Musharraf and with wannabe Bonapartes like Z A Bhutto, and lived to regret it. Therefore, we must try and fix the system incrementally, without derailing it. In this regard, the Supreme Court is rightly banging on about accountability and corruption. No less significant, there is, finally broad agreement between the government and opposition over the essential elements of an agenda for reform, even if the will is still weak and there is much foot-dragging. Sooner or later, too, we will have a neutral Chief Election Commissioner and NAB chairman, and then we can have another go at trying to make parliamentary democracy work.
But I would be amiss if I did not raise qualms about two core institutions that need to reform themselves if we are to get going. The army must revamp its national-security doctrine and stop insisting on commandeering the heights of economy and society in an age of internal scarcity and regional distrust. And the media must act with greater responsibility to encourage a progressive, moderate and international outlook in the mindset of the nation. No modern democracy or economy can work in the stifling environment of religious orthodoxy, international isolation or military supremacy.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28419&Cat=9
How do military manage to elevate such lower rank officials to fake national hero’s and liberators?
Had someone heard of Pir Sipahi, a notorious rapist and thug promoted to ranks of a holly ‘spirtual leader during Zia regime?
#4 Mr. Aziz,
Is this the same imtiaz alam who attended MQM’s all nationalities conference in Karachi?
Altaf calls ‘Generals’ burden on society
Updated at: 2148 PST, Monday, January 31, 2011
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain Monday said that ‘Generals’ instead of doing service in return for their motherland, have become burden on its population, Geo News reported.
Addressing via telephone a luncheon hosted in honour of journalists here at Lal Qila Ground near MQM Headquarters, Altaf Hussain said if his death could bring revolution in the country, it would be an honour for him.
He called upon what he said literate, honest and disciplined people from poor and middle classes to come forward and salvage the country from the current crisis.
“It was establishment and its paid writers who mislead and incited innocent people against MQM,” he said, adding, now ‘Generals’ have not only joined hands with capitalists and feudals but also made family relations with them.
The MQM Chief said: “I am a Jatt (a crude man) who utters whatever comes to his mind.”
http://www.geo.tv/1-31-2011/77840.htm
MQM Lied on MPA Raza Haider’s Murder.
http://sachaylog.blogspot.com/2011/02/mqm-lied-on-mpa-raza-haiders-murder.html
MQM holds the record of a party which is least questioned by the public and talked about in the media. Not a single journalist dares to talk about the cruelty of the MQM regime and the lies they brag all the time. Altaf Hussain, the Bhai, has set up a colossal network of terrorists to shut every mouth that talks against them.
I am quite surprised how Altaf Hussain just keeps on saying things without anybody being able to question them. Karachi has been turned into a place similar to sixteenth century Boston where killing and lawlessness was everywhere and yet no one bothers to know the people who are behind the massacre. Here are some Altaf Bhai jokes that might enable you to think what is being fed to the people from a person who doesn’t even belong to this country:
Altaf Hussain is a foreign national – A British national. Left Pakistan in 1992 and never returned since. It’s been almost 19 years since he fled and he still talks of being in the hearts of the Pakistanis who have never tried once to create suitable conditions for his safe return to Pakistan. Altaf Hussain also has a website of his for the people of Pakistanhttp://www.mqmuk.com/ “MQM UK” not MQM PAKISTAN. I wonder how he is motivating people to stand against government. Revolution can not be brought while sitting in luxury palaces and making merry.
Rehman Dakait was MQM Activist.
http://sachaylog.blogspot.com/2011/03/rehman-dakait-was-mqm-activist.html
Altaf Hussain and MQM Coming Rally in Punjab and read—
Altaf warns of launching armed struggle Correspondent DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 29 January 2000 Issue : 06/05 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/29jan00.html#alta
LONDON, Jan 27: Muttahida Qaumi Movement appears close to declaring unilateral declaration of independence as its chief Altaf Hussain on Thursday sounded, what he termed, “bugle” of war by warning the establishment that if killings of Mohajirs are not stopped he will have no other option but to launch an armed struggle and seek
support from a neighbouring country. Talking to Pakistani reporters at MQM’s international secretariat
at Colindale area of London after its formal inauguration, the MQM chief said that he had tried every method while remaining within the four walls of the Constitution but the “Punjabi establishment” has refused to accept Mohajirs and the mandate given to the MQM by
the people.
“We are termed anti-Pakistani, agents of (Indian intelligence agency) RAW, and anti-state,” he said while referring to the oft-repeated charges levelled by the intelligence agencies against his organization.
A few years ago the ISI had claimed to have unearthed MQM’s plan of creating “Jinnahpur” but the MQM had denied the plan and said it was a conspiracy to defame Mohajirs.
Mr Hussain said the ISI from the very beginning had been accusing him as an agent of RAW, a charge he denied vehemently. The MQM chief regretted that despite all his assurances to the army and other authorities that neither he nor the MQM, nor Mohajirs were anti-Pakistani, they were being persistently pushed against the wall.
Asked whether he was close to declaring unilateral declaration of independence, the MQM Chief said “Khuda Karey” (may God help in doing so).
The MQM chief, who told the Pakistani establishment to take his today’s statement as a “bugle” of war, said he was not anti-Pakistani and wanted to remain in Pakistan.
SINDHI-MOHAJIR UNITY: Meanwhile the MQM chief in an open letter, said Sindh had virtually become a colony of Punjab, and that the Sindhis had been denied their rights. Addressing the people of Sindh, he asked them to give serious consideration to his letter, in which he posed the question: “Have the common Sindhis of the province of Sindh got freedom after the creation of Pakistan? “
Altaf Hussain granted permanent residency by British government? DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending:23 January 1999 Issue : 05/04 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/23Jan99.html#alta
The British government has granted permanent residency to Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, claim MQM sources. Reports reaching here from London suggest that the British government has permitted Mr Hussain to live in UK for an indefinite period. This decision was apparently conveyed in a letter sent by the British Home Department. Mr Nadeem Nusrat, political secretary to Altaf Hussain, has also been given the same concession. Mr. Altaf Hussain had submitted his application for political asylum to the British Government immediately after the Operation Clean-up started in Sindh in June 1992. It may be mentioned that the governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had approached the British government to repatriate Mr Altaf Hussain who is wanted in several cases of heinous crimes in Pakistan.
Altaf Hussain is wrong because Pakistan will never send its troops in Syria to fight against Assad regime. Before Syrian conflict Pakistan had refused its troops involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, although Americans had put huge pressure on Pakistan government. Altaf Hussain should not raise an issue which is already settled. He is trying his best to create rifts between military and civilian government. In other countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and UAE, Pakistan has already military presence ( for decades and with complete military agreement) which helps these countries to maintain peace and security. Thousands of retired Pakistani soldiers are already working in security services in these countries. There are millions of Pakistanis working in Arab states, therefore its in Pakistan’s interest to maintain status quo in these countries. If these countries are not protected against outside aggression, millions of Pakistanis would return to Pakistani which would result in huge financial and social problems for Pakistan. Our own future depends on safety and security of Arab states. Pakistan should do everything in its power to keep peace in Arab States.