Summary Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief says discrimination is being done with Urdu speakers in Sindh.
KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has said whether anyone accepts or not Sindh two has become reality and its practical shape will also appear whether formally or in constitutional way.
Talking via telephone from London to members of MQM’s Coordination Committee, Altaf Hussain treason trial case against former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf for imposing emergency or martial law was like putting burden only on one person and an effort to save those who were part of the act. He said that this was a conspiracy against not only one person but against the whole country.
He said if the government wants to initiate the case against Musharraf under Article 6, it should be started since 12th October 1999 instead of 3rd November 2007. He said the trial should not be initiated only against Musharraf but also against those who supported him.
He said the case against the former president was an effort to divert the attention of the masses from big problems and challenges faced by the country.
Altaf Hussain said that rights of the deprived people would have to be delivered to build unity and harmony among different ethnic groups in Pakistan. He said that some people were misquoting the statement of delivering rights and empowering the deprived people.
The MQM chief said that there was no local government system in the country and the democratic governments were also abstaining from establishing local government system due to which basic problems of the masses remained unsolved.
Altaf Hussain announced that a public gathering representing all linguistic groups would be held to deliver the message of the movement in every big and small town and village of Sindh.
It is to mention here that MQM chief Altaf Hussain once again become topic of headlines of electronic and print media on last Friday when he demanded separate province in Sindh for the Urdu speaking population.
Addressing a party gathering in Karachi on Sunday via telephone from London, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain proposed the formation of Sindh 1 for the populace considered as Sindhi by PPP and Sindh 2 for rest of the province where people belonging to other ethnicities reside.
The MQM chief said he never intended to divide Sindh as Sindh is motherland and motherland cannot be divided. "If Sindh government considers us equal citizens then the quota system should be abolished," he demanded.
Altaf Hussain lashed out on opponents saying he will ‘expose’ them. "Some opponents celebrated and distributed sweets when operation against MQM began in 1992. We have multiplied in number ever since. If we were revengeful, we could have kicked them today, but they are aware that MQM is forgiving and not revengeful so they are not worried" he added.
Insisting he didn’t talk of the division of Sindh, Altaf Hussain said: “Two days earlier, I said in Hyderabad, if Sindh’s urban population aren’t accepted by PPP as equal citizens and aren’t given rights, then in this condition, they deserve to live with dignity, so it’s better to make a new province for such populace. I never said divide Sindh.
Sindh is motherland and on one divides mother. If you cannot see Sindh with unity then let Sindh be Sindh. Make Sindh 1 for those who are considered Sindhi by PPP and Sindh 2 for those whom PPP doesn’t regard as Sindhis.
This way Sindh will not break. No one desired to break Sindh. Urban populace of Sindh is ready to become Sindh 2, you be Sindh 1, we both will work for the welfare of Sindh and then the world will decide which part of Sindh progresses more.”
Altaf Hussain said the non-Sindhi-speaking populace of Sindh province is being oppressed. He said it has been happening since beginning that those who are not given their rights as per their number honestly, feel frustrated and oppressed; and then they turn to protest which escalates things to the extent of bloodshed after which matters still have to be resolved on table. I say resolve the matter before it comes to that because the blood of both rich and poor is precious.” he added.
“The consequences of silencing voices result in physical struggle which results in hurting further. So don’t do the unthinkable, is there any force in the world that can oppress this number of people?” the MQM chief said.
Altaf Hussain once again lashed out at the establishment saying no bureaucrat or officer of any stature can forget that without their sacrifices, there would be no Pakistan and therefore no seats and positions that establishment enjoys today. “You labeled us to be traitors, even termed us as RAW agents.” he said.
Emphasizing on his proposition, Hussain further said “oh my brothers and sisters of PPP, oh my brothers and sisters of ‘Sindh 1’, announce it formally or not, you have shown it practically that you own ‘Sindh 1’ and non-Sindhi speakers belonging to all ethnicity can live peacefully in ‘Sindh 2’. You enjoy your ‘Sindh 1’ and give us the right to live peacefully in ‘Sindh 2’."
Taking on political opponents, he said “and various commentators of political parties say MQM shouldn’t have said it, as it is akin to treason. But if ANP opposes Kalabagh dam threatening to harm the federation of the country, then is it okay?”
MQM chief then lashed out on Jamaat Islami quoting “Maulana Siraj ul Haq of Jamaat Islami said fall of Dhaka can repeat itself if federal government doesn’t give rights to KP populace, then it was okay? Why there was no outcry then?”
Concluding his address, MQM chief said “my slogan is peace, dialogue and not war. No war but peace and only peace. This is my slogan; peace, peace and peace. And the language of threat is irrelevant in this age.
The world has learnt from wars that table talks and resolving conflicts through talk is always better. You accept us we accept you and we both work for the progress of Pakistan and to unitedly beat the enemy. No one can defeat Pakistan if we unite and I pray to God to unite us.”, Altaf Hussain said.
