IMPOSITION OF GOVERNOR RULE IN SINDH IS AKIN TO SLAYING OF DEMOCRACY: ALTAF HUSSAIN

RULING QUARTERS DO NOT WANT TO GIVE PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY TO SINDH PROVINCE:

DEMOCRATIC QUARTERS JOIN HANDS TO DEMOLISH THE CONSPIRACY OF CONVERTING PAKISTAN INTO ONE UNIT:

GET UNITED ON ONE POINT AGENDA TO STRUGGLE FOR RESTORATION OF SINDH ASSEMBLY AND ATTAINMENT OF PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY

London: 30 October 1998

Mr Altaf Hussain, founder & leader of the MQM, has vehemently criticised the imposition of Governor Rule and termed the act as slaying of democracy and aggression against the people of Sindh.

In a press statement issued today, Mr Hussain said that the MQM is a democratic party, would never accept imposition of Governor Rule, and would lodge its protest peacefully and in democratic manner on all forums. He said that whenever people of Sindh had demonstrated awareness and raised the issues of their fundamental, constitutional, democratic and social rights their voice was suppressed by imposition of Martial Law or Governor Rule. In fact, the people at the helm of affairs did not want to give provincial autonomy and rights to the people of Sindh. Mr Hussain emphasised that through imposition of Governor Rule the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had demonstrated his firm desire of becoming the Dictator of Pakistan. He said that the suspension of Sindh assembly and imposition of Governor Rule was not only undemocratic but it was a direct intervention against the people of Sindh. Mr Hussain said that the manner in which the people of Sindh had demonstrated their unanimity to achieve their fundamental rights and the unity that had been exhibited on the issues of Kalabagh Dam, NFC Award, Census and Shariat Bill had never been witnessed in the past. He said that Governor Rule had been imposed to crush the struggle of people of urban and rural Sindh and to suppress any voice against the exploitation of their rights. And to deprive the people of every democratic forum so that to prevent them from raising their voice. He said that imposition of Governor Rule was not only an attempt to crush the people's mandate but was aimed to suppress the political awareness. He said that imposition of Governor Rule was aimed to make Sindh as a Colony and to suppress the voice of people. He said that the patriotic people of Pakistan were aware of the fact that the exploitative forces and ruling Mafia had always conspired to inculcate animosity amongst the common people of provinces so that they remain disunited and unaware of their rights. Mr Hussain said that during the past one and half year a renewed wave of unity was witnessed amongst the provinces specially in Sindh. He said that not only the people of Sindh remained united on the issues of Kalabagh dam, rigging in Census, NFC Award and Shariat Bill but also the elected representatives of different political parties had demonstrated their unanimous stand over those issues. He said that this show of unity was highly disliked by the Federal Government.

Mr Hussain said that according to Constitution of the country maintenance of Law and order in the provinces was solely a provincial matter. He added that during parliamentary sessions Prime Minister himself had always regarded that as a provincial matter. But on the other hand the Federal Government had violated the Constitution of the country and had continued to intervene in the provincial affairs. The provincial governments were never allowed to run their affairs independently. Mr Hussain emphasised that Pakistan was not being run as a Federation and the Federal Government through blatant violations of the Constitution had not only usurped the provincial autonomy but also practically had imposed one Unit in the country as against to the will and wishes of the people who had always demanded provincial autonomy.

Mr Hussain said that by suspending the Sindh Provincial Assembly which came through millions of votes of people and by imposing the Governor Rule the Federal Government had not only demonstrated the dictatorial thoughts but had insulted the sentiments of democratic people of Sindh. This step of Prime Minister had explicitly exhibited that he had not the least regard to the mandate and wishes of people of Sindh.

Mr Altaf Hussain asked all the democratic quarters to take serious notice of the fact that at first the MQM was made target for vicious allegations and then democracy was bulldozed in Sindh province. Those sequences had conspicuously proved that under cover of allegations against the MQM the real motive of Prime Minister was to demolish democracy in Sindh and make it a colony of Islamabad.

Mr Hussain appealed to all the democracy loving political parties, legal fraternity, educationists, intellectuals, poets, journalists and all the democratic people of Pakistan to strongly oppose the imposition of Governor Rule in Sindh.

Mr Altaf Hussain said that it was the moral and democratic duty of all the democratic political parties to raise above their differences and unitedly struggle against the conspiracy of converting Pakistan into one unit. They should also struggle for the restoration of Sindh Assembly and continue their efforts until they get a constitutional guarantee of provincial autonomy for all the provinces of country.

He emphatically stressed that the solidarity and safety of the country was possible only if the democracy would prevail.

Mr Altaf Hussain asked the patriotic people of Pakistan and particularly of Sindh that it was the need of time to raise their voice against such despicable acts of dictatorship. He appealed to all the patriotic and democratic quarters that they get united on one point agenda and start struggle for restoration of Sindh Assembly and provincial autonomy.