MQM’s launching campaign at Minar-e-Pakistan:

I declare war on Punjab’s feudals: Altaf Hussain

* MQM leaders promise justice and equality for all
* More than 15,000 people gather for public meeting
* MQM will contest general elections throughout Punjab

By Ali Waqar

LAHORE: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain has announced a “declaration of war” on Punjab’s feudal class and has promised to end discrimination and promote equality and justice in the province.

Addressing the MQM’s launch campaign at a well-arranged and disciplined gathering of more than 15,000 people at Minar-e-Pakistan on Sunday, Altaf said, “The time has arrived for the deprived to get up and discriminate against anti-people and anti-democratic forces.” He said feudalism and democracy were opposites and could not work together.

“Just think about what 98 percent of our people have gained in the last 59 years. They have supported feudalistic political parties and have remained poor, ill and desperate. Feudalism has hampered Pakistan’s development and progress. India abolished its feudalistic culture and went far ahead of Pakistan despite gaining independence at the same time as Pakistan,” he said.

The MQM had started its campaign in Punjab to get to the masses, to make them understand what it stood for and to make them realise how important they (the people) were to Pakistan, its development and its future. “If the feudals or the establishment tries to hinder MQM’s progress in the province, it will have to face the consequences,” he warned. “The MQM is the party of the deprived. The poor made sacrifices for the past 59 years and now it is time for them to exploit the feudals,” he said.

Presently, he said, only 2 percent of Pakistan’s population was ruling the country. “Generals, sardars and landlords have used the vote bank of the poor to fuel their greed. There is no equality and justice and these people have taken direct or indirect advantage of the poor to rule the country,” he said.

He also said that if any political party held such an impressive and disciplined gathering he would quit from politics. “They don’t have any control without the patronage of the establishment,” he said. Calling for equal rights, Altaf said the army had no right to occupy the land of the poor. “The army should be allotted a separate piece of land and the Okara farms should be given back to the tenants. Even in this day and age Pakistanis don’t have access to clean drinking water. What kinds of governments have ruled this country? The poor have only been trampled. However, the MQM will change all of this,” he said.

He also condemned MQM’s anti-Pakistan and anti-peace image being portrayed by elements, saying, “The MQM will wage a war against Punjab’s chaudhrys, landlords and feudals. The MQM will also promote equality in party ranks.” Presenting his party’s manifesto, Altaf said the MQM would provide standard education to all, would work against religious extremism and end all discrimination. He also denounced honour killing, saying women would be given equal status.

He said the MQM would take back all the money looted from the national exchequer and give it back to the people. He said the MQM would bring the feudal classes to the level of the masses so that there was not any difference between the two.