Public should be asked if they wanted Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan or Taliban’s Pakistan
The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has directed the Co-ordination Committee to announce a date for holding the public referendum as soon as possible. He said that the festival of Eidul Azha had ended and most of the works that were deferred because of exhaustive work done for collecting hides of the sacrificial animals had also been completed.
Mr Hussain directed the Co-ordination Committee to announce the date for holding the public referendum as events were unfolding with a quick pace on the political horizon in the country and swift changes were occurring at the international level. He said that arrangements should be made, and the date announced before any mishap or natural disaster occurs in the country.
Mr Hussain said that the public opinion should be gathered from Karachi to Khyber and from Khyber to Balochistan and Azad Kashmir to Gilgit-Baltistan. People should be asked in the referendum if they wanted Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan or Taliban’s Pakistan.
He asked Co-ordination Committee to hold the referendum throughout the country on one day. A team should be made in each province, which should be given the responsibility of making necessary arrangements for holding the referendum and counting the ballot paper in the presence of senior judges, lawyers or notable citizens. The public should be informed about the results of the referendum.
He further asked the Co-ordination Committee to invite the representatives of the print and electronic media in each province for making coverage of the referendum process.
He said that the timing for the referendum should be from 9 am to 5 pm, and arrangements should also be made for providing food and tea to the workers taking part in the referendum exercise at the polling camps.
Mr Hussain appealed to the people that they should take part in the referendum and express their opinion without any fear or favour as the country was passing through a critical phase. He asked them to consider it as their national duty.
Further information about the referendum can be obtained at the MQM Headquarters, Nine Zero or the provincial or zonal offices in each province.
People from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can get information from the Karachi office of the MQM or the provincial office of the MQM in the Punjab.
Following are the telephone numbers of relevant MQM offices.
1. MQM Headquarter in Azizabad, Karachi
021 – 36313690, 021 – 36329900
2. Sindh
Hyderabad Zone: 0222 – 662890 and 0222 – 103789
Mirpurkhas Zone: 0233 – 874831
Sukkur Zone: 071 – 5625472
Badin Zone: 0297 – 738004
Larkana Zone: 074 – 4059090
3. Punjab
Lahore Zone: 042 – 05844090 and 042 – 35864027
Gujranwala Zone: 055 – 3840090
Faisalabad Zone: 041 – 2011991
Rawalpindi Zone: 051 – 4452890
Multan Zone: 061 – 4570090
4. Azad Kashmir
Muzaffarabad Zone: 05822 – 432247
Abbottabad Zone: 0992 – 330790
Haripur Zone: 0995 – 616990
Baltistan Zone: 05818 – 457090