Date : 19th March, 1998.

Altaf Hussain urges Nawaz not to repeat 'blunder

'KARACHI: Mr.Altaf Hussain, chief of Muttehida Qaumi Movement, on Wednesday night alerted his party men, including elders and women, to be mentally and physically prepared toface the new situation under worsening conditions. He was speaking at the 14th foundation day of the MQM at Jinnah Ground, Azizabad, over telephone from London.

Mr. Hussain urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not to repeat the blunder he hadc ommitted during his firsttenure when an operation was launched against the MQM and his government failed to stop it despite repeated promises and assurances. He told the huge gathering of workers and supporters that the agreement entered into with the PML had paved the way for establishing working relationship with theg overnment were never implemented. He said the abolition of no-go areas inKarachi was promised bythe prime minister and despite his instructions to the chief minister to 'liberate' them from the control of Haqiqi 'terrorists', no action was taken by the federal or Sindh government. On the other hand, thevested interests and PML workers, in order to divert the real issue, tried tofoment communal clashes in Karachi.

All these were against provisions of the agreement, he added.Mr.Altaf Hussain reminded Nawaz that some forces were in the process of beingused to 'conquer' Karachi, but hecautioned the use of force could not win the hearts of people. He pledged thathis peaceful, democratic and patriotic constitutional struggle would continue till the outdated systemd ominated by feudals was abolished and common people got their basic rights.

Mr. Hussain said the MQM was a peaceful, democratic organisation and wanted tochange the country through constitutional struggle so that the oppressed people could get their rights and may contribute towards the country's progress, national unity and stability. He deplored that the army chief had been provided' misleading information against the MQM and him" and those reports were falseand baseless. Hereserved the legal and constitutional rights to continue the peaceful struggle despite obstructions createdby forces of exploitation, he maintained. He also assured the people that hewould never stoop before any power nor succumb to pressure from any quarter. He made it clear that thedecision of the MQMCoordination Committee had been endorsed by him and a 48-hour ultimatum servedto the PML (N)government.