Altaf Hussain urges Mohajirs to end silence over injustices
Pakistan’s military, ISI and Rangers have so far executed over 70 Mohajirs extrajudicially and currently over 600 have been subject of enforced disappearances while over 10,000 are languishing in jails without any charge at all – MQM Founder Leader
If Mohajir Nation would remain silent, they will be annihilated by those forces, which are adamant to eradicate the name of the Mohajirs – MQM Founder Leader
LONDON. Jul 16, 2018: Throughout the history of Pakistan, the Mohajirs have suffered in silence, being deprived of their basic social, political and economic rights, which are available to any citizen of equal standing because Mohajirs are not considered as sons of the soil or in other words Mohajirs are being treated as third degree citizens in Pakistan, which is tantamount to plain slavery.
Mohajirs suffered economically, denied equal rights in relation to employment and most recently population figures in the census has been reduced fraudulently to marginalise Mohajir Nation socially, economically and their true representation in national and provincial assemblies. Whenever, Mohajirs raised their voice against that discrimination, they were subjected to state-led military operations, in which over 22,000 Mohajirs have so far been executed extrajudicially by state agencies, but no one has yet been held accountable.
The Muttahidda Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) founder and leader Mr. Altaf Hussain said this in his live televised speech to the affiliates of the Movement at Washington DC, from London.
He said that since the inception of Pakistan, Mohajirs have been subjugated to brutal victimisation, violent racial discrimination and stern bias in every walk of life.
Since 1947, Mohajirs have also been deprived of their basic, social, political and economic rights. One of the most discriminatory treatments by civil or military dictatorial governments is that Mohajirs have not even been considered as sons of soil, which basically means that the Mohajirs are outsiders or just slaves, added Mr. Hussain.
The Movement’s founder and leader while sharing the pages from the history of the Movement said that against all the injustices, he started a movement 40 years ago from the student level when he was also a young student in 1978. The efforts were materialised in form of All Pakistan Mohajir Student Organisation (APMSO).
Later, it was transformed into Mohajir Qaumi Movement. It was once again restructured and transformed into Muttahidda Qaumi Movement. to attain the rights of the Mohajirs including the rights of all oppressed nations, he continued to sharing with the audiences.
He said that the Movement started participating in local bodies and the general elections since 1987 onward to 2015 sans any break and the Movement had emerged as the third largest political party of Pakistan and the second largest one in southern province of Sindh.
MQM joined governments as coalition partner since 1988 until 2013 but all the major parties did not fulfill their promises and they did not honour even a single clause of agreements that the Movement had reached with them, he deplored.
Mr. Hussain said that Pakistan’s military, ISI and Rangers have since 2013 launched one of the ferocious crackdowns against the Mohajir Nation and he would have remained silent if it were against the MQM. Those crackdowns were against the Mohajir Nation.
Pakistan’s military, ISI and Rangers have so far executed over 70 Mohajirs extrajudicially and currently over 600 have been subject of enforced disappearances while over 10,000 are languishing in jails without any charge at all, added Mr. Hussain.
He said, “I have been banned to appear on national TV. I cannot make speeches; even my name and photo cannot be mentioned in print and electronic media.” “What was my crime? I am vocal against discrimination, injustices and raising my voice against gross human rights violations being carried out in the urban areas of Sindh by Pakistan army, ISI and paramilitary Rangers.”
Pakistan claims to be a democratic country. Where in the world can a democratic country justify these types of victimisations, brutal killings and enforced disappearances? He asked.
The Movement’s founder and leader while addressing the Mohajir Nation said that if they would remain silent, they will be annihilated by those forces, which are adamant to eradicate the name of the Mohajirs and Altaf Hussain.
He requested all present at the occasion to stand with their nation and play their role to help those suffering at the hands of the deep state of Pakistan. If they would fail to help their nation, God forbid, history will not forgive them and 70 million lives will live a life of sheer misery and the era of slavery will be relived in the name of the Mohajirs.
He thanked all members of MQM U. S. A. for arranging that wonderful event through which he shared his views and opinions.