Altaf says struggle in national framework
By Nasir Malick

LONDON, Aug 2: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on Monday denied that the party is heading towards "separation" and asserted that it wants to work "within the framework of Pakistan".

He was asked to comment on reports that his party was close to announcing a separatist movement and that the exit of seven senior members of the party was aimed at bringing pressure on the Rabita Committee to take this direction.

Talking to Dawn here on Monday, he said: "If those people (who have quit the MQM owing to its policies) have those ambitions, I will not support them and neither will the majority of Rabita a committee. If their demands are such which are in conflict with the policies of the MQM then we might have to accept their resignations."

"I will not support them (on separation issue) and I assert that Rabita committee wants to work within the framework of Pakistan," he said. "Rabita committee will never take any decision which can affect Pakistan's integrity or solidarity."

"If these people opt for an extreme step, then I will not support them or stand by them," he said. "This was my stance yesterday and this is my stance today as well. Whatever we will achieve for the Mohajirs will be within the framework of Pakistan."

He paid rich tributes to these workers and said that they had rendered great sacrifices and I am sad that they have tendered their resignations. "They are senior, committed, courageous leaders of the MQM who have offered great sacrifices," he said. However, he said that MQM Rabita committee has not accepted their resignations and was in touch with them over telephone.

"I have asked Ajmal Dehlavi and Aftab Sheikh to visit London and convince them to come back to the party fold."

The MQM chief said that these leaders had also been fed up by the fact that there was no one in Pakistan to listen to the grievances of Mohajirs.

He said recently these people had been suggesting to adopt a "tit for tat" policy. "They must have something is mind."

He said that the Rabita committee would be meeting in the next 15 days to chalk out its future strategy after listening to these people. But he asserted that any policy would be within the framework of Pakistan.

Mr Altaf Hussain, however, asserted that things were going from bad to worse in Karachi and said the MQM would continue its democratic struggle within the constitutional framework of Pakistan. "I think we have to explore other options to bring pressure on Nawaz Sharif government to give Mohajirs their due rights," he observed. "That can be by raising the issue at the international level by holding peace marches, organising hunger strikes all over the world and mobilizing international community to put pressure on the Pakistan government to stop the 'genocide' of Mohajirs.

He complained that Sindh was being governed by Punjab for all practical purposes - whether it was police or establishment in Sindh, it is all from Punjab."

He warned that this was not a healthy sign. That was dangerous as it would lead to the repeat of 1971.

"We want to achieve the rights for the Mohajirs within the framework of Pakistan and I am requesting once again not to push the smaller nationalities against the wall."

The MQM chief said that their resignations have made it clear that it was Rabita committee which was the sole decision-making authority in the MQM.

He said at times, he had also differed with the decisions of the Rabita committee but had to accept them because they were the majority decisions. He particularly referred to the decision of the Rabita committee to go into alliance with the Muslim League for the second time. He said at that time he was totally against it but had to surrender because it was a majority decision.

He said unlike other political parties, the MQM involved its workers at every level of decision-making. The suggestions are first discussed at the unit level, then at sector level, then at zonal level before being taken up by the Rabita committee for a final decision, he said, adding that the suggestions given at all the lower levels are fully considered by the committee while making decision. He said that ticket awarding is also made by this process.

The MQM chief said that the establishment was afraid of the MQM because of which his party had been under their constant attack since it came into existence.

He said the mandate of the people given to MQM had never been accepted and successive governments refused to accept it. He said that army operations had been launched against this community on one pretext or the other, the houses of MQM workers were being raided since last several years, Mohajirs were being killed extra-judicially.

He said that the imposition of Governor's rule in Sindh and suspension of Sindh Assembly was also aimed to deny MQM its due representation. "How long will the Mohajirs be subjected to such kind of degrading treatment?" he questioned. "Our mandate has time and again been crushed under the boots."

"The genocide of Mohajir nation is going on since last many years and despite thousands of telegrams sent by the MQM to the President, the Army Chief and the Supreme Court Chief Justice nothing has come out," he complained.

"It is perhaps this frustration that has forced these people to quit the party and they want to bring the party on a right direction."

He said that this group had been asking the MQM leadership to give a one month or two-month time to the government to stop the genocide of Mohajirs and give them their due rights and if the government failed to deliver, the MQM should take a new line.

"But I strongly believe in a peaceful, constitutional and democratic struggle and I don't think that majority of MQM Rabita committee members do support me on this."

Mr Altaf Hussain said that these MQM members, who have tendered their resignations, had become so desperate for the last few months that they had stopped playing an active role in the party. "Now they have finally tendered their resignations to the party.

He denied that these resignations were only a "pressure tactics" to put pressure on the Rabita committee to take more tough stand and to give a signal to the government that if things did not improve, the Mohajirs would be forced to go for separation. "This is their own decision," he said. "You can't term resignations as pressure tactics."