EDGWARE AND MILL HILL TIMES: TIME GROUP NEWSPAPERS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1998

EXILED POLITICIAN DENIES LINKS TO SIND TERRORISM

MOVES TO EXTRADITE THE LEADER OF PAKISTAN OPPOSITION MOVEMENT, WHO HAS HIS HEADQUARTERS IN EDGWARE, ARE LIKELY TO MEET WITH FAILURE

Isabel Kay Reports

Edgware-based Altaf Hussain, leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to abolish the 'feudal rule' in Pakistan, has denied links with terrorist attacks in Karachi.

Instead Mr. Hussain lays the blame at the door of the present 'medieval feudalistic government' which he says is trying to 'crush the unity, crush the MQM and push the Mohajirs to the wall'.

Mr. Hussain founded the MQM in March 1984, to fight for a democratic system for the Mohajirs, descendants of immigrants from India who fled to Pakistan in 1947. It now claims to have around 20 million supporters.

But in forming the MQM, Mr. Hussain, a trained pharmacist who has been living in England since 1992, said he wanted to secure the rights of all the people of Pakistan. At the moment, he said, the country is under the iron rule of feudalism. He talks of dual education where, he says, ruling classes learn English syllabus and go on to higher education and the poor classes, 98 percent of the population, learn everything in Urdu. All government matters are dealt within English.

Mr. Hussain said he wants to secure votes for everyone. He wants freedom of speech, better education for the masses, equal rights for women and religious tolerance. He said he wants the rights that the British have and sees it as the duty of the Western world to help him achieve that for his people.

Speaking out against allegations put forward in the Sunday Times that he has been involved in terrorist acts and killings in Karachi, Mr. Hussain said that he is determined to fight his cause, but that the MQM is a non violent Movement.

Sitting in his campaign office in Middlesex House, High Street, Edgware, Mr. Hussain said, "he who is determined has to adopt ways and means to carry out his political activities. Where there is a will there is a way. What Pakistan needs is a revolution and if the West and America wants to keep Pakistan in tact they should understand that it has to come from the abolishment of the feudal system".

But Mr. Hussain insists the revolution will be a turn around in ideas, not a violent up-rising. "The revolution will not be with guns, not through bullets, but through ballot. We are there to help but we are being persecuted."

"I know myself that I am not involved and my party is not involved in any sort of violence directly or indirectly. MQM believes in dialogue and negotiations."

He fears that if he is extradited to Pakistan he will be killed.

"It is my wish that they take me to trial in British court," said Mr. Hussain. "Then I will tell people nationally and internationally what has been happening in Pakistan."

A Foreign Office official said that Britain has no extradition treaty with Pakistan and that Mr. Hussain could not be tried in this country, as he has not committed any crime here.