ALTAF HUSSAIN MEETS WORLD LEADERS, SPENDS BUSY DAY IN DELHI

NEW DELHI-5 November 2004---The Founder Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement Mr Altaf Hussain, exchanged notes with world leaders on Subcontinent and regional issues as part of his busy day-long engagements during of the international moot in New Delhi, which kicked off today.

According to details, Mr Hussain met with Indian Prime Minister, Dr Man Mohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, renowned statesman and former US Secretary of State, Dr Henry Kissinger, former British Prime Minister Rt Hon John Major and a number of important personalities, attending the moot, called by the Hindustan Times.

The Indian Premier, inaugurating the deliberations, reaffirmed his country’s desire to deal with the on-going dialogue with Pakistan with utmost seriousness stressing that peace in South Asia was important.

During the break, some of the leaders converged for meeting among themselves, sending positive signals to the world that their assembly in the Indian capital should produce the kind of result the world was expecting of them.

Mr Hussain’s, an ardent supporter of peace and amity between India and Pakistan, reiterated the position he has been taking on the subject since long. Among the issues he discussed with Indian or the Western leaders were Indo-Pak relations, ways to establish peace in the region, the Kashmir issue, and the role which the middle class population of India and Pakistan could play for world progress. Mr Hussain it may be mentioned has been making it clear that the goal of ensuring a real progress in Pakistan or elsewhere will remain elusive till such time a strong middle class is created and nurtured in countries keen on combating poverty at regional or global level.

During the first day’s session at the congress, titled “India and the World--- A Blueprint for Partnership and Growth”, Mr Hussain asked questions from Pakistan’s Imran Khan, and former occupied Kashmir Premier Dr Farooq Abdullah when the issue of Indo-Pakistan relations and Kashmir came up for discussion. His questions drew loud applause from the audience.

Later Mr Hussain gave interviews to Hindustan Times and New Delhi Television. Last night he was given a rousing welcome at the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia where he was greeted with Sajjada Nashin who also performed the traditional dastarbandi ceremony as a mark of respect to the MQM leader.

Mr Hussain will deliver his keynote address at the conference tomorrow (Saturday), following which Henry Kissinger will wind up the conference.