RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY BE PROVIDED TO THE CITIZENS – ALTAF HUSSAIN
Karachi – 7 October
2002
Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder & Leader, has stated that without
providing the rights to freedom of expression and assembly the forthcoming
elections would not be free, fair and transparent.
He demanded that urgent steps be taken to ensure that the MQM candidates
could freely carry out electioneering and the people must be provided the right
to cast vote without fear. Mr
Hussain was addressing the election rallies in Orangi Town, PIB Colony,
Nazimabad, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Lateefabad, Hyderabad and Sukkur.
Thousands of people belonging to different communities and religious
minorities attended these rallies.
Mr Hussain said that the people of Sindh are facing the problems of water, electricity, gas, health, foodstuff, education and employment. Residents of government quarters and shantytowns are deprived of ownership rights, residents are suffering mental torture because of unreasonable load-shedding and undue billing by HESCO and the traders are also facing numerous problems. He assured that Muttahida would solve all such problems after coming into power. Alongside solving these issues, Muttahida would plan and launch development programs and bring an end to water theft, which is the root-cause of depriving small farmers of water. He said that MQM’s philosophy is gaining popularity in every village, town and city of Sindh Province. The agents of the Establishment are baffled as a result of Muttahida’s popularity. Yesterday, armed terrorists in Liaquatabad, Karachi, murdered incharge of MQM Unit Akram Niazi. Prior to this, the criminal Haqiqi terrorists opened fire upon MQM workers in Orangi Town, seriously injuring six MQM workers and killing a police personnel. In several areas of Karachi, the terrorism and violence of so-called religious organisations is continuing. Armed terrorists have occupied several areas on gunpoint. In Sukkur, the agents of Establishment in collusion with the police have unleashed a reign of terror and there is no one to stop these atrocious activities of the terrorists. He emphasised that if the terrorists working on the payroll of the Establishment and the so-called religious and political parties are not stopped from carrying out atrocious activities against Muttahida then the forthcoming general elections could never be free, fair and transparent.
Mr Altaf Hussain appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan and the Chief Election Commissioner of Sindh to take urgent steps to ensure that the MQM candidates could freely continue their election campaign and meet with their voters. He said that everyone must be provided the right to cast his or her votes without any fear. It is, therefore, the responsibility of both the officials to abolish the No-Go Areas, which have been established on gunpoint. He said that devious elements are spreading negative propaganda against the MQM to mislead the public. He asked the participants would they be deceived by these elements? The participants replied, “No”.
Mr Hussain said that Sindh contributes seventy percent (70%) to the national exchequer and in return receives five (5) to seven (7) percent in funds, whereas, on paper it is shown to be twenty-three percent (23%). He said that on the pretext of law and order situation, rangers have been deployed in Sindh resulting in additional burden over Sindh’s budget. Sindh is also deprived of its due share of water for its agricultural requirements. He warned that Sindh has faced enough injustices and oppression, the oppressed people of Sindh have now awakened and Islamabad has to provide due share to Sindh in the NFC Award proportionate to revenue generated from Sindh. From Karachi to Kashmore, local citizens would be recruited in police. If Sindh is provided its due share then every area from Karachi to Kashmore would be a developed area. Paying immense tributes to the martyrs of MQM, Mr Hussain said that more than fifteen thousand MQM workers have been ruthlessly murdered, thousands are languishing in jails on false and fabricated cases, however, the relatives of martyrs and families who have been displaced for past ten years remain determined with high resolve. It is because of the sacrifices of martyrs, detained and displaced families that all the nationalities, particularly the sons of Sindh dharti are uniting under the banner of MQM. In the end he prayed the God Willing, the day of 10th October would bring about the victory for the oppressed and deprived people of Sindh and prove that as in the past, the people of Sindh are united and with the Muttahida Quami Movement.