PEOPLE AND ARMY MUST JOIN HANDS FOR RUTHLESS ACCOUNTABILITY: ALTAF HUSSAIN

KARACHI: 28^TH February 2011

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the generals should support the people for bringing a revolution in the country. He was addressing a huge gathering of workers and office-bearers of MQM Labour Division at Lal Qila ground Azizabad on the occasion of the 24^th foundation day of the Labour Division. He said that he was ridiculed by all whenever he spoke about a revolution in the country and now everybody and every party in the country was chanting slogans of a revolution.

“It has been more than 63 years since Pakistan came into being. If we compare Pakistan with other countries that gained independence in the same period we will come to know that those countries have made significant progress in economy and also made considerable technological advancements as well. While the economic condition in Pakistan has changed from bad to worse.”

“It is being said that the prices of petroleum products will be raised once again. You must have heard that the government is printing currency notes worth two billion rupees every day and taking huge loans from the State Bank of Pakistan on daily basis. If countries could be run by printing currency notes alone, then there would have been no poor nation in the world.”

“There are some principles of the economy that must be adhered to while printing currency notes. The more currency notes you print, the higher the inflation, unemployment and economic degradation.”

“People in the Arab world are agitating on the streets for their rights. They are not only talking about revolution but actually sacrificing their lives for their rights. I have been saying for the past few months that the winds of change in the Arab world will have far-reaching consequences in Pakistan and my idea of a revolution in Pakistan was mocked in TV programmes and talk shows. Now every party worth naming is crying hoarse for a revolution.”

“A report has been published in US Newspaper Boston Globe that Pakistan is next in line for public uprising. The newspaper says that the United States has always been preoccupied with the power  of elite of Pakistan with utter disregard to the plight of the common people. The US continued to lend support to the power elite in the country and felt comfortable in working with the dictators ignoring the realities in Pakistan. Pakistan has reached the flashpoint of change after the uprisings in the Arab countries. The daily per capita income of nearly 60 per cent Pakistanis is barely 2 dollars. Unemployment has risen three folds in the past three years. Pakistan is next in line after the Arab countries bracing for a revolution. This is not something being told by MQM or its workers. It has been published in a US newspaper.”

“I want to tell the patriotic generals that the people of Pakistan need your help. They always say as to what I mean by the term patriotic generals. If all the generals are patriotic then why do we hear about bringing some generals to trial? A patriotic general will be he, who would support the people of Pakistan and come to their help. I refuse to call those as patriotic generals who tore the country apart and  helped those people who plundered country’s  wealth.”

“Cannot the patriotic generals come forward to save the country and rescue it from the grip of looters and plunderers? They have ruled the country for over thirty years so cannot they for once come forward for the people of Pakistan?”

“They will say that I am pressing for a martial law but it is not true that I am inviting the Martial law regime. I seek help for downtrodden people of the country. If the army in Pakistan stands by the people of the country instead of continuing to support the rulers just as happened in the Arab countries where the armies chose to help the people instead of the rulers then Pakistan will be saved.”

“I want to tell the generals, the corps commanders, other Army Officers and the soldiers that the people of Pakistan  are suffering from high prices, have no employment and are forced to commit suicide and looking up to the army for help. This is not the time to remain silent. Only the people of the country with the help of the army can save the country.”

“In this country a privileged class of landowners and capitalists have been coming to power one after the other like the game of musical chairs. They safeguard their interests and prolong their rule by having relatives in major political parties, army and the bureaucracy. In this way whether it is the civilian government or the martial law, they always manage to stay in power. The common people on the other hand are continuing to suffer for the past 63 years and did not get anything besides hunger, misery, misfortune and suicides.”

“Did Pakistan come into being so that a handful of people enjoyed pelf and privilege and a vast majority fated to suffer under the heavy yoke of misfortune and misery? He asked the masses why do you do you attend the rallies of these political parties who have done nothing to change your fate? You yourself vote for these parties and then complain for unemployment and hunger.”

“You should resolve that you will not go to these political parties and raise leadership from within your ranks. MQM is the only political party in the country that sent educated and able leadership from middle class backgrounds who were not even fully known in their own locality.”

“What is needed is a ruthless accountability. It is the time to take steps with courage and determination. The army should join hands with the people of the country and recover all the ill-gotten wealth. The game of musical chairs that has been continuing in the corridors of power must end now.”

“The security of the country is at stake. Baluchistan is on the brink of cessation. It is time for taking healing steps and general clemency to the Baluchi people. The right of the people of Baluchistan on their natural resources should be recognized and the missing persons discovered. Likewise the rights of the people of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah and Punjab over their natural resources should be recognized. It is time that the people of Pakistan let go of their differences and unite under the national flag of Pakistan.”

“Altaf Hussain is calling upon every patriotic Pakistani to save Pakistan. We lost half of the country because of our unjust policies. We used to taunt the Bengalis and today they are progressing rapidly. Their currency has become even stronger than ours. World cup is being held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but not in Pakistan. This is because of our own misdeeds and faults.”

“Altaf Hussain does not meet the generals in the darkness of the night. He is addressing the generals loudly through a big public meeting to help the people of Pakistan and bring a revolution in the country. Bring the revolution and let Altaf Hussain face accountability above anyone else. Let it be known as to how many factories and how much wealth did Altaf Hussain make after coming into politics. Likewise every politician in the country should be held accountable. If the generals, corps commanders and other powerful policy-making institutions did not support the people in holding the looters and plunderers of national wealth to a ruthless accountability then a time may come when Pakistan itself will have to be put on sale.”

“History is replete with instances of revolution that have been brought with the support of armies. Armed forces have mutinied and supported the people in their quest for a revolution. The people of Pakistan would like to assure that if the army helps in bringing a revolution they would work strenuously like the people of China and will make sacrifices for their country.”