London - 25 April 2000
Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder and Leader, has
said that the Two Nation Theory was buried in 1951, when the Pakistani borders
were sealed for the Muslims of India.
It is a historical fact that instead of uniting the Muslims of India,
the Two Nation Theory has divided the Muslims of Subcontinent into three
parts. Therefore, this theory has
failed in the light of the experiences of the 52 years history. Mr Altaf Hussain was addressing a huge
gathering of MQM Elders Wing over the phone from London at Nine Zero, the MQM
Head Office in Karachi.
Mr Hussain said that according to the Two
Nation Theory presented before the partition, two nations existed in the
undivided India – the Muslims and the Hindus.
Since Hindus were in majority, therefore, at the time of independence of
India, it was felt prudent for the Muslims to have their own separate homeland
where they could live freely, happily and peacefully according to their faith
and belief. However, today when this
theory is viewed in the historical perspective then we come to the conclusion
that the Muslims of the Subcontinent have been divided into three parts, i.e.
the Muslims of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
In this way, the Two Nation Theory resulted in the division and then the
subdivision of the Muslims of India instead of uniting them. As a result, not only the Subcontinent was
divided but also the Muslims of the Subcontinent continued to divide. Mr Hussain said that at the time of the
presentation of the Two Nation Theory it was declared that Pakistan will be for
all the Muslims of India but in 1951, the Pakistani borders were shut down for
the Muslims of India, thus burying the very concept of the Two Nation
Theory. Later in 1971, the Two Nation
Theory again proved wrong when Muslim majority of Pakistan, i.e. Bengali
Muslims, were forced to separate themselves from Pakistan when instead of
providing them their rights, an army operation was launched against them. They were oppressed and their genocide was
committed. It is important to note that
when the majority of the country decided to separate itself from the country
then the Two Nation Theory ceased to exist and there remained no justification
for the existence of Pakistan.
Thereafter, on the basis of the 1940 Resolution, the four provinces of
the country should have transformed into autonomous states. However, on the basis of being in majority
in the remainder of Pakistan, the Punjabi Establishment forcefully took control
of the country. The same Punjabi
Establishment then termed the Sindhis, Pakhtoons and Mohajirs as
‘traitors’. They became the
self-proclaimed controllers of Pakistan and issued certificate of
treachery. Whereas before partition,
the feudal lords and notorious personalities of Punjab not only supported the
Unionist Part (anti Pakistan party) but also openly opposed the creation of
Pakistan.
Mr Hussain said that within a few years after
the creation of Pakistan, the first elected Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was
assassinated leaving the Mohajirs without any sincere and true leadership. For years Mohajirs continued to suffer from
the injustices – they were screened out from the government departments, doors
to higher education and employments were closed for them, their annihilation in
the fields of economic and education was carried out through the imposition of
quota system and similar unjust policies were imposed upon them. No voice was raised against this oppression
and injustices. As a result of this
persistent injustices and victimisation MQM came into being, which initiated
the struggle against these injustices and for the attainment of rights.
Elaborating on the subject Mr Hussain said that
when we started our struggle, then instead of providing us our rights we were
subjected to genocide, thousands of young people of our nation were ruthlessly
murdered, thousands have been unlawfully detained in false and fabricated cases, dozens have been awarded
death sentences in false and fabricated cases and are being detained in the
death cells, more than 28 workers have been reported as ‘disappeared’ – they
were unlawfully arrested and taken away by the personnel of law enforcement
agencies in front of their family members.
What is our crime? For what reasons we are
being punished? Did our forefathers create
Pakistan so that the Police, Paramilitary Rangers and Administration would come
from Punjab to commit massacres of our children and youth – on the pretext of
crushing ‘terrorism’, our mothers and sisters would be humiliated – our areas
would be attacked as if they were occupied or conquered and these areas would
be kept under siege for days? Mr Hussain asked.
Mr Hussain said that there are far more Muslims
living in India but despite the Hindu Muslim riots, it has never been witnessed
that their Army attacked the Muslim areas similar to the attacks of Army,
Paramilitary Rangers and Police in Pakistan on our localities and homes. What label should be attributed to this
tragic situation where the people who gave their blood and sacrificed for the
very creation of Pakistan are once again sacrificing their blood to save their
generation and to attain their rights.
‘I had written letters to every president,
prime minister and the chief of army staff of Pakistan but none of them could put an end to this oppression’
he said. Moreover, in 1994, we filed a
constitutional petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan but Mohajirs were not
provided justice and our petition has been dumped in the cold storage. Under these circumstances where should the
Mohajirs go? Whom should we seek justice from? And what course of action should
we adopt?
Mr Hussain reiterated that Mohajirs have shown
remarkable restraint so far but there is a limit to everything. If the genocide of Mohajirs and the process
of awarding death sentences on false and fabricated charges continues then a
time will come when they will cross all limits of patience and the
responsibilities will then rest on the shoulders of the Establishment, not on
the people of Mohajir Nation.
Mr Hussain advised the elders to remain united
and be ready to face difficult times.
It is the result of our unity and the struggle of 22 years that today
Mohajirs are recognised as a nation not only in Pakistan but throughout the
international world. He further said
that the audacity, courage and boldness of our elders have widely contributed
in our struggle and success. After the
commencement of Army Operation on 19 June 1992, when our youth could not enter
their areas and had to leave their homes, our elders came forward to carry out
the work of the Movement. In the
General Elections of 1997, without any fear for their lives they went into the
“No Go Areas” and took control of the party work despite being subjected to
torture at the hands of the Haqiqi terrorists in the presence of the Army. Mr
Hussain speaking on the sacrifices of the elders stated that our elders have
also sacrificed their lives for the Movement alongside the youth.
Highly appreciating and admiring the efforts,
work and sacrifices of the elders under such difficult and critical conditions,
he appealed to them to remain united because in a nation’s struggle it is
essential that the elders and women and youth of that nation work side by
side. He reminded the office bearers to
always respect the elders and show their affection towards them because their
presence is a great blessing for the Movement.