PRESS CONFERENCE
KARACHI: 6TH SEPTEMBER 2011
Respected Journalists
We thank you all for coming to attend this press conference.
We had replied in our press conference to the fabricated, absurd and unfounded allegation levelled by the former Home Minister of Sindh against the MQM, but the highly condemnable allegations against the MQM continue unabated by certain prejudiced elements who hate the MQM and its supporting public.
Respected Journalists
Zulfiqar Mirza has made a scandalous allegation in reference to his meeting in London with Mr Altaf Hussain in which the latter purportedly said that the United States wanted to break Pakistan and that the MQM was with the United States in this scheme. We want to reiterate it categorically, in no uncertain terms, that this is an utter lie and a baseless and absurd allegation. This is an uncouth, evil and disgusting attempt at the character assassination of a highly patriotic political party. The absurdity of the allegation cab be judged from the fact that Mr Altaf Hussain chose to say it all before Zulfiqar Mirza instead of saying it in front of his senior leaders. This would mean that Mr Hussain had much confidence in someone whom he was meeting for the first time in his life instead of his senior colleagues. We want to add it here that if someone falsely accuses a person by holding the Quran in his hands, would he be trusted. If, on the other hand, false allegations made by holding the Quran in the hands are to be believed as true, then there is no need for the courts and laws because all decisions could be made accordingly.
Respected Journalists
The scandalous allegations of making Karachi a separate state and Jinnahpur were foisted on the MQM when the army operation was started against the MQM on 19th June 1992 in order to portray the MQM as a party against the country and for creating a justification for the operation. Forged maps of Jinnahpur were presented before the journalists. When the MQM challenged the allegation and asked for the allegations to be brought in a court of law if it were true, the army made a categorical denial of the allegations. The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) department of the army issued a statement saying that the army had not recovered any maps of the alleged Jinnahpur. The army officers of that time also came on national televisions sometimes ago and accepted that the Jinnahpur conspiracy was a drama. A worst from state operation was conducted against the MQM based on a fictitious allegation and thousands of innocent workers were killed. Now that the allegation has been proved wrong and even the conspirators have accepted that it was a drama it is our question to the entire nation why this scandalous allegation is being repeated ad nauseam? The MQM is once again being accused of being a party working against the country on the patterns of Jinnahpur.
Respected Journalists
The MQM is a patriotic political party that firmly believes in the existence, security and stability of Pakistan. It is on record that Mr Hussain has been informing the nation in his telephonic addressed about the books and detailed articles by certain American analysts containing grave prognosis about the future of Pakistan. Mr Hussain has been expressing his concerns and apprehensions over these writings as a patriotic Pakistani. He has been advising the nation to get united in order to defend the country. It is disgraceful indeed that scurrilous allegations are being levelled against Mr Hussain that the MQM. A media trial of the MQM is being done in order to project it as a party traitor the country and to dub it as a terrorist party.
Respected Journalists
Zulfiqar Mirza has imputed a letter to Mr Hussain in his press conference which was allegedly written to the former British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair. Some biased anchor persons and analysts are creating hype about this alleged letter and using it for the media trial of the MQM. Unfortunately, the politics of the country is replete with such drama when media trial was used as a tool to smear the image of an opponent political party or big political leader. When the PPP government was dismissed in 1990, a letter was imputed to Ms Benazir Bhutto as well allegedly written to US Senator Peter Gabrielle on 24th September 1990 as a part of a media trial of the PPP. This letter, allegedly written by Ms Bhutto, speaks about suspending the economic and military aid to Pakistan and calls upon the then Indian Prime Minister V P Singh to engage the Pakistan Army on the borders. The letter imputed to Mr Hussain is forged and baseless and a part of the sinister conspiracy to malign the MQM. Its forgery can be judged from the fact that the address of the MQM Secretariat as given on the alleged letter is in Colindale. International Secretariat of the MQM has offices in the Edgware area since 2001. Edgware and Colindale are two different areas.
Let’s have a look at the contents of the letter in order to inform the public about the facts because a lot of hue and cry is being raised about it. The alleged letter says that the MQM is against every type of terrorism, religious extremism and violence, and that it supports real democracy. If the other contents of the letter are being taken as true why not this statement is being believed?
The first point of the alleged letter speaks about an agreement. Why do those who have presented this fabricated and forged letter present this agreement in front the court and the nation? Why do they not inform the nation as to who singed on the agreement on behalf of the MQM and the British government? So far as supporting the international community against terrorism is concerned, it is not a hidden secret. The MQM is a political party that firmly believes in its ideology and principles, and it has always opposed terrorism, religious extremism and violence. It was because of this that the MQM expressed its solidarity with the international community after the incident of 9/11 and took out a huge peaceful rally on 26th September 2001 as a practical demonstration. It was the realistic vision of Mr Hussain. The people at the helm of affairs, the armed forces and the establishment all supported the international community against the war against terrorism in the larger interest of Pakistan. The Pakistan Army is still engaged in the war against terrorism in its effort to save the country, and it is giving sacrifices in its war against terrorism.
The second point of the alleged letter says that the MQM will provide unlimited resources for human intelligence in the villages and town of Sindh and the Punjab, and that it will monitor the organizations and madrasahs having links with the Taliban and the religious extremists. This is patently ridiculous as the presence of the MQM in the Interior Sindh and the Punjab was next to nothing, and hence the claim is a far cry. The other basic thing is that only the government agencies can provide human intelligence and monitor the madrasahs.
The third point of the letter says that special groups will be sent in Afghanistan in the disguise of relief workers in order to provide information to the western intelligence agencies. This also not less than a joke as the MQM cannot even send its people to Peshawar fearing attacks from Taliban, how can it send its people in Afghanistan? It was because of this precarious condition that we have not been able to start our organizational work in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah.
Respected Journalists
After these points, the alleged letter says that we want some guarantees to achieve certain objectives for ourselves and for the welfare of Pakistan.
Equal participation in governance at the
provincial level in Sindh and at the federal level.
This is not the demand of the MQM only. It is being demanded by all segments of
the society in all the four provinces. The people are openly talking about
separate provinces for themselves and hence there is nothing wrong in it.
Equal share in education, employment, army,
administration all other spheres of life.
Is this something that can be called as enmity and disloyalty to the country?
There is a need for local police comprising of
the Mohajirs and Sindhis.
It has always been our demand that the police, and the administration must
comprise of local people. Can this be called seditious?
The provinces should be given full autonomy. The
federation should only keep the departments of defence, foreign affairs and
finance with it and all the provinces should be given equal representation even
in these three departments.
Which political party does not speak about the provincial autonomy? If all
political parties have more or less the same stance, how can it be equated as
traitorous?
As far as the call for a restriction on the ISI, as alleged in the letter is concerned, it is a matter of record that the operation that started against the MQM in June 1992 was continuing even in 2001. The government of General Pervez Musharraf also used to level charges of subversion on the MQM. When the MQM openly talked restricting the role of army and government agencies in the politics in 1991 it was called traitorous and a state operation was started against the MQM. The role played by the government agencies for finishing the MQM based on misleading policies prepared by a handful of people cannot be denied. The injustices done to the MQM have become a part of the history. What would be said about the sayings of former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif regarding the army and the ISI after the passage of 20 years?
Respected Journalists
We believe that an effort has been made to create misunderstanding in the army circles by publicizing this point regarding the ISI. Had the MQM been against the ISI, it would not have opposed the attempt to bring the ISI under the control of the Federal Ministry of Interior under the US pressure in 2009. When the US government enacted Kerry-Lugar Bill in 2009 that had the provisions to restrain the army, ISI and other intelligence agencies, it was the MQM that openly opposed the Bill at every forum including the parliament although it was a part of the government. The principled stand taken by the MQM on this national issue is before the entire nation. The manner in which the MQM and Mr Hussain has openly supported the armed forces, and national defence institutions is before everyone. It was because of this bold and principled stance that the MQM was called a party of the army and the establishment, but we faced all the taunts and accusation for the supreme interest of the country. Accusing such a patriotic political party of being an enemy to the country and calling its leader a traitor and enemy of the country is not only scandalous but also grossly insulting to patriotism. The elements behind this reprehensible act are, in fact, the real enemies of the country, and they want to the push the Mohajir nation to the wall through their hideous policies.
Respected Journalists
Zulfiqar Mirza has gone so far in his enmity towards the Mohajirs that he has accused the MQM of stealing containers of the NATO forces containing weapons from the Karachi Port Trust. This is the height of falsehood. We ask if a report was filed with any police station or any other government department about these missing containers. Did the government take any steps for the recovery of these containers? We condemn this false allegation of Zulfiqar Mirza in the strongest possible terms and appeal to Chief Justice Iftakhar Muhammad Chaudhry to hold an inquiry into it. We feel that the US and the NATO forces must also take due notice of this allegation.
Moreover, Zulfiqar Mirza accepted on the media that he had issued 300,000 (three lacks) arms license during his tenure as the home minister. He even claimed that these licences had not been given for firing in marriage parties. We appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to hold an inquiry if these 300,000 (three lacks) arms licences were given after fulfilling all the constitutional and legal requirements. This makes it abundantly clear that Zulfiqar Mirza is raising an army for creating bloodshed and a civil war in Sindh.
Respected Journalists
Lashkari Raisani, a former leader of PPP Baluchistan, showing his prejudice at presentation of a terrorist on the media has said that the Balch nation was being degraded in this way. He has said that the government will have to decide if it wanted to save politics or the state.
People across the country are aware of the fact that innocent Mohajirs were taken down from buses after ascertaining their identities in the holy month of Ramadan. They were taken to torture cells in Lyari where they were subjected to inhuman bodily torture. They were killed by firing, and their heads were cut off. Their bodies were hacked into pieces and stuffed into gunny sacks that were thrown in different parts of Karachi. Does Lashkari Raisani have no remorse over the barbaric killing of these Mohajirs? Why did he not see the state as threatened at that time? Lashkari Raisani talked about the arrest of terrorists from the Kati Pahari, but he forgot that it was the same Kati Pahari from where armed terrorist had been attacking Mohajir localities with latest sophisticated weapons. It is the same place from where announcements were made from the mosques exhorting the people for a jihad against the Mohajirs and calling them the descendants of the Jews. Why did Lashkari Raisani not feel the state threatened at that time? Is the massacre of the descendants of founders of Pakistan lawful? Do they consider the Mohajirs as totally helpless? Lashkari Raisani wants to prove himself as a sympathizer of the Pashtuns but would he care to inform the nation who are the people killing innocent Punjabis in Balochistan. Why do they not utter a word when innocent people are killed there?
Respected Journalists
Muttahida Quami Movement has full regard for the independence of the judiciary. The MQM wants that the fabricated and malicious allegations against the MQM should be proven in a court of law, and until these allegations are not proved conclusively in the light of evidence, no one accused of anything should be called guilty. Certain political and religious leaders, legal and constitutional experts, analysts and anchor persons are trying to influence the working of the court. They are passing judgements on mere allegations. We appeal to all such people to let the court do its work and desist from calling the accused as a criminal unless the guilt is established.
As far as Ajmal Pahari is concerned, he was arrested in 2000 as well. A confession of killing 100 people was extracted from him through physical torture. It is being said once again that he has been Ajmal Pahari has confessed to killing 100 people, and that he has obtained training in India. The world knows about the cruel methods that are used for obtaining confessions in Pakistan and how the deer is changed into an elephant. Let’s now turn to the allegation of obtaining training in India. When the state operation against the entire Mohajir nation was in continuing in full force, a large number of the MQM workers left for foreign countries in order to save their lives. He who got the chance to go to USA, Canada, Britain and other western countries, went there and he who could go to India went there. It would be an injustice to accuse someone of getting training from India if one went there to find shelter. Which countries did the leaders of the NAP go for taking shelter when they were accused of treason in the past? When an operation was launched against the PPP during the regime of General Zia, their leaders obtained shelter in various countries. Today when an operation is continuing against the Baloch in Baluchistan, are not the Baloch youths forced to take refuge in foreign countries in order to save their lives.
Respected Journalists
It is lamentable that certain political and religious parties, and the media are maligning the Mohajirs nation as a whole and busy in the reprehensible act of pushing them to the wall. We ask the patriotic people of Pakistan if the MQM existed in 1964 when a bloodbath of the Mohajirs was done in Liaquatabad for supporting Ms Fatima Jinnah against Field Marshal Ayub Khan. We ask if the MQM existed when the blood of the Mohajirs was spilled in the name of the language bill of 1973. We ask the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association to inform the nation as to who were responsible for Qasba Aligarh massacre of 14th December 1986 when armed assailants put to death hundreds of people. Who were the people that spilled blood of innocent Mohajirs in Hyderabad on 30th September 1988? Was it the MQM that started attacks against the Mohajir localities from Kati Pahari? Are not these blood-thirsty killers enemies of the humanity? Is it the MQM that cut of the heads of innocent Mohajirs during the holy month of Ramadan? We believe that those accusing the MQM should be ashamed of themselves. We have mentioned only a few instances, but the list of bloodshed and massacre is very long. The details cannot be summarized in a press conference.
We say to all the political and religious leaders, lawyers, analysts, journalists, anchor persons and columnists to remove the glasses of hatred and bias and desist from baseless allegations if they really loved the country. We ask them not to sacrifice Muttahida Quami Movement that has taken birth from the poor and middle class segments at the altar of their hate, prejudice and conspiracy. We want to make it clear that the MQM cannot be finished through such conspiracies, and we cannot be stopped from our just struggle. If the prejudicial treatment against the MQM is not stopped, and the Mohajirs are pushed to the wall, it would not be in the interest of the country.
In the end, we would say to the MQM workers in Sindh, the Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah, Azad Kashmir, Baltistan and tribal areas and the MQM supporters throughout the world not to get disappointed by the conspiracies and maintain unity. Such conspiracies were hatched in the past as well to disenchant the people from the MQM and Mr Altaf Hussain but all the allegations were proved wrong in the fullness of time. The MQM and its leader emerged successful out of all the allegations and those who are busy in their machination against the MQM will fail in their efforts.
Co-ordination Committee
Muttahida Quami Movement
Pakistan