London – 28 November 2000
Mr Altaf Hussain, Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has stated that Pakistan can only remain to exist if equal rights are provided to all the nations, irrespective if they are Punjabi, Pakhtoon, Sindhi, Baloch, Mohajir, Seraiki or religious minorities, of the country according to the 1940 Lahore Resolution. Everyone should be treated as equal citizens without discrimination of cast, colour, language or ethnicity. He was expressing these views while addressing a public gathering in Toronto, Canada.
Mr Hussain said that it is a fact that deprived people have always led the historical movements and struggles for rights. The personalities behind the formation of Muslim League in 1906 belonged the Nawab and Jagirdar families. The defeated nawabs and jagirdars, who surrendered to the British, became alert when they felt that the All India National Congress would abolish the medieval feudal system from the country. Therefore, the British adopted the policy of divide and rule and confronted the Muslims against the Hindus, who had been living peacefully together for years. For this purpose through their agents amongst the Muslims and Hindus and the British used “religion” to divide the Muslims and Hindus. Mr Hussain said that the two-nation theory was presented with a view that Hindus and Muslims are diverse nations with different religion, culture, civilisation and traditions. And that after independence the Muslims would become subservient to the numerical majority of the Hindus, therefore, a separate homeland for the hundred million Muslims of the Subcontinent was demanded. Pakistan was created under this two-nation concept, however, it could not provide security and safety to all the Muslims of the Subcontinent and even today more Muslims live in India than in Pakistan. Hence, how could a concept or ideology, which could not provide protection to the majority, be considered as correct? It is a fact that until the last moment, the present people of Punjab, who are ruling the country, remained faithful to the Unionist Part and opposed the creation of Pakistan.
Mr Hussain said that after the death of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the army generals murdered his right-hand-man and the first Prime Minister of the country Liaquat Ali Khan, to take over the country. The country remained without a constitution for eleven years. In 1956, when the constitution was framed, the country was divided into two provinces East and the West. The Bengalis were in majority but to promote brotherhood and solidarity, the rule of parity was introduced. The Bengalis despite being in majority accepted this rule. The rulers of West Pakistan did not provide legitimate rights to the Bengali Muslims; therefore, they started the struggled for their rights. Awami League, the representative political party of the Bengalis, gained success in the General Elections of 1970 and were in majority. Instead of transferring power to the Awami League, an army operation was launched against the Bengali nation, which triggered the struggle for independence and thus the Bengalis liberated themselves.
Mr Hussain said that if in 1956 the rule of parity was introduced to promote brotherhood and solidarity then why today the rule of parity to promote solidarity, brotherhood and equality amongst different ethno-linguistic units cannot be introduced and accepted by the ruling class and generals belonging to the Punjab. If the rule of parity was correct in 1956 then how could it be wrong now?
Commenting on the democratic system and the achievements of India and Pakistan, Mr Hussain said that immediately after independence, India abolished the medieval feudal system, which in turn helped the promotion of democracy. Whereas in Pakistan, immediately after independence, the feudal class took control of the country and since then the feudal system flourished in the country. Because of the abolishment of the feudal system and the establishment of democracy, India today is way ahead from Pakistan in trade, industries, business, education, technology, etc. India has a very strong economy whereas Pakistan’s economy is on the verge of destruction. Since independence, martial law has never been imposed in India and the military does not interfere in the matters of government and politics. Whereas in Pakistan, time and again martial laws have been imposed and directly or indirectly for the past 53 years, army has ruled the country.
Mr Hussain asked that was Pakistan created for the army or the army has been established for Pakistan? Was Pakistan created for the common people or for the feudal lords and the agents of the British? None of the political parties with the exception of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) arose from the poor and middle class. The leadership of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) belong to the feudal class, whereas the leaderships of religious parties, including the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) serve as the protectors of the feudal system. MQM is the only political party of Pakistan, which originated from the poor and middleclass and does not have any feudal in its rank and file. For this very purpose, the MQM is not allowed to freely carry out its activities throughout the country despite the fact that the MQM even transformed to Muttahida Quami Movement from Mohajir Quami Movement. All its regional offices in Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan were raided, sealed and the office bearers, workers and even their relatives arrested and tortured.
Mr Hussain said that MQM has repeatedly proved through the historical successes in the consecutive general elections of the country that MQM is the third largest political party of the country and the second largest of the province of Sindh, however still its public mandate is not accepted by the Establishment. In spite of being in the government, none of the representatives of the MQM were allowed or invited to sit in the Karachi law and order meetings. The Establishment launched the State operation to crush the MQM and to justify the operation MQM was projected as an anti-State and terrorist party.
Commenting on a recent interview of former interior minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in which he had claimed that during his tenure no operation was launched against any political party, Mr Hussain said that the army operation launched on 19 June 1992 was not against the dacoits and kidnappers for ransom but was targeted only and only against the MQM. In 1997, Nawaz Sharif promised that he would never again launch an operation against the MQM and we believed him. However, Nawaz Sharif broke his promise and targeted us. He established special courts under STA. He paid no attention when we advised him that one day the same courts would be used against him. Today, the same court has sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Mr Hussain claimed that those who looted the national exchequer have not been apprehended, whereas an honest, sincere and truthful person like Dr Farooq Sattar has been awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment. Mr Hussain asked why no action has been taken against the family of Chaudhry Shujaat, which has looted the country? From where did the sons of General Ziaul Haq inherited billions and billions of rupees? Where did the money possessed by the Generals and high officials of armed forces, had come from? Who will held those generals and high officials accountable, who had made billions of rupees as kickbacks and commission in defence deals?
Mr Hussain said that as a result of such injustices and discriminatory policies, the country has already been divided into two. Today the same procedure is being once again adopted by terming those as “traitors”, who are raising voice for their rights. No one is prepared to face the reality. Pakistan could only remain into existence if according to the 1940 Resolution all the nations of the country are provided equal rights, irrespective if they are Punjabi, Pakhtoon, Sindhi, Baloch, Mohajir or Seraiki or even religious minorities. Every one should be treated equally without any discrimination of cast, colour, creed, language or religion. Everyone must be considered as equal citizen of the country.
Informing the audience of the current conspiracy of the Establishment, Mr Hussain said that after failing in all its conspiracies to capture Karachi, the Establishment is now using the name of religion and the so-called religious and jihadi organisations to capture Karachi. Centres of these religious and jihadi organisations are being established in Karachi. Jihadi organisations on the pattern of Al-Shams and Al-Badr are being created to crush the Mohajirs in Karachi as was formerly done in former East Pakistan. Under this new strategy, Jamat-e-Islami and other so-called religious organisations along with the Haqiqi terrorists have joined hands.
Mr Hussain said that when he tabled certain academic questions with reference to the two-nation concept and the ideology of Pakistan, all the intellectuals, columnists and writers used offensive language against him and levelled baseless allegations. However, when a few days ago, the Jamat-e-Islami organised a reception in the honour of Sikhs in Mansoora in Lahore and declared that the Muslims and Sikhs share the same culture, civilisation, One God and His Oneness, then none of the chauvinist intellectuals protested. Not a single column appeared in the newspapers. Mr Hussain asked that if Sikhs and the people of Punjab are brothers then what turmoil would be caused if he declares that Hindus and Muslims are brothers? Mr Hussain asked the public to take serious notice of the Greater Punjab Conspiracy.
Mr Hussain stressed upon the workers to deposit one percent of their monthly income into the MQF, the Zakat, Fitrah, Sadaqah and other contributions, which will be used to assist the families of the martyrs and other distressed families. In the end he lauded the office bearers and workers of MQM Overseas USA and Canada for organising the public meeting.