Month: September 2011

The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has appealed to the people of the Punjab to support the cause of truth by participating in the public meeting held by the MQM on the 10^th April. He said that the people of the Punjab should demonstrate through their unity that they want to break the status quo and bring to an end the decaying feudal system and rampant corruption.

In a video message to the people of the Punjab he deplored the dynastic political culture in the country that empowers a few families only while the common people always remain outside watching the game of power. He declared that Pakistan belongs to the 180 million people of the country instead of a coterie of a few families. He said that the people of the Punjab should make it clear by participating in the public meeting at Qaddafi Stadium that they do not end dynastic politics, corruption, loot, unemployment and that they want peace and tranquility.

He appealed to the people of the Punjab to support him not for the MQM but for Pakistan. He expressed his desire to save the country by establishing a just and equitable system in which all people will enjoy equal rights. He said that he wants to lay the foundation of a system in which there is no poverty, unemployment and the law does not discriminate between the rich and the poor.

He particularly addressed the younger generation and said that the youths had been the vanguard of every revolution in the world so the youths of the Punjab particularly the students should strengthen hands of the MQM in its struggle for bringing prosperity and stability in the country.

Addressing the women he said that no revolutionary struggle can succeed without the participation of women and exhorted the women and girl students of the Punjab to come forward and join the MQM in its struggle.

Respected elders, mothers, sisters, youths, students, leaders of various political parties, workers, analysts, columnists, journalists, all the people who are gathered here  and all those who are listening to my voice across the length and breadth of Pakistan on television, to all of them I say Assalam-o-Alaikum.

Do you want to see Pakistan a prosperous country and bring positive changes in the country? Do you want to make Pakistan free from all types of oppression and eradicate corruption? If the answer to these questions is in the affirmative then you should give clear message to the world powers that we are united. The revolution of the poor and middle class people has become the fate of the country and now we will not take dictation from any foreign power.

I want to show the discipline of the people of Pakistan to the world powers instead of the Pakistani politicians and the political parties. I want to tell them that the people of Pakistan are honourable and disciplined so that they may not dare to cast an evil eye on our country and carry out drone strikes. Those who say that the MQM will take a long time to establish in the Punjab should see for themselves as to who do the people of the Punjab support. I shall call 1, 2 and 3 and you should maintain complete silence.

(The participants display a deep silence and exemplary discipline after the call of 1, 2 and 3)

You have demonstrated by exhibiting the traditional discipline of the MQM that the MQM and Altaf Hussain have arrived in the Punjab. The public revolution of poor and middle class cannot be stopped by any world power including the Pakistani Establishment. I was always stopped from entering in the politics of the Punjab but today the MQM and Altaf Hussain have taken the Punjab by storm.

The younger generation of the Punjab particularly the students should listen to me attentively so that they are able to inform their fellow students as to what does MQM and Altaf Hussain stand for. You should know that whenever the oppressed and downtrodden segments of a country get united a revolution comes and the students become the vanguard of that revolution.

You should have listened to big leaders but I am not a leader like other traditional leaders. I am one of you. I obtained my primary education in a government school sitting on a worn-out carpet. I did my matriculation from a government school. I used to travel to school, college and university by bus like other ordinary people. I worked hard and collected money for my education.

I know the problems of the poor people because I have myself faced those problems. I have seen poverty with my own eyes. I know that people have to stand in long queues at government hospitals for medication and I know that they have to wait for long period of time in order to get a date for operation in a government hospital.

I know how difficult it becomes for a poor person to provide for all the members of his family. I know this all because I myself was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. It is because of this that I am making practical efforts for the rights of the poor and middle class people of the country.

It was because of my struggle for the rights of the poor people that all sorts of baseless allegations were made against me and the MQM and I was not allowed to come in the Punjab. I was accused of treason and it was said that I was an enemy of Punjabis, Sindhis and Baluchis. I am not an enemy of anyone. I am only against the feudal lords who have robbed the national exchequer and the tribal chiefs who subject their feudaries to cruelty.

I am saddened by the fact that our foreign policies are dictated by foreign powers despite the fact that we are an independent country and free nation. What sort of freedom is this? What type of self-government and autonomy is this? Hundreds of innocent people are killed in drone strikes.

I want to make Pakistan so strong that no one is able to cross our borders without our permission. If a country intervenes on the basis of brute force then we must stand up and say that we are prepared to die an honourable death rather than suffer the loss of honour. We must tell them that we are not prepared to live the life of ignominy any longer. 

Every now and then we have to seek financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other donor agencies. We want to make Pakistan an economically sound country so that we are able to help other countries instead of seeking help ourselves.

I speak straight unlike leaders of other political parties who speak evasively in ambiguous manner. I can assure you that the MQM will translate into actions what it says. If we are stopped from implementing our revolutionary political programme and our path is obstructed from the powers that be in the country, then we will not hesitate even for a single day and come out of power.

The MQM does not want a bloody revolution in the country. We want to bring a peaceful public revolution through democratic means. If the people of Pakistan bring the MQM in power, then the MQM will introduce positive amendments in the constitution that will be beneficial for the people of the country by and large.

Education up to matriculation level will be made compulsory and students will be given books free of cost. Legislation will be done to provide for actions against those parents who will force their children to work instead of sending them to schools. The course of education will be the same for the rich and the poor. Double standards in the education system will be abolished

MQM will make Pakistan a truly democratic country by bringing to an end the decaying feudal system. Amendments will be made in the constitution to check uncontrolled capitalism.

An independent foreign policy of Pakistan will be made that will reflect our sovereignty and autonomy. Drone strikes in the country and foreign intervention in domestic affairs will end. No dictation will be taken from any foreign power.

Practice of taking huge loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other donor agencies will discontinue and policies will be made for the economic uplift of the people and the country. Unemployment will be reduced to a minimum level by setting up a network of cottage industries in the country. Small loans will be provided on easy terms in order to setup small industries and factories. Unemployed youths will be given subsistence allowance. Salaries of the government employees will also be increased. Financial resources for all these works will be made available by confiscating the properties that have been made through ill-gotten money by availing huge loans from national exchequer and getting them written-off illegally. All the wealth stashed in foreign bank accounts that has been looted from the national exchequer will be brought back in the country.

The country will be transformed into a truly democratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the light of the revolutionary ideals of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal where Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Parsees and other non-Muslim Pakistanis will have equal rights as the Muslim Pakistanis.

Women make up 51 per cent of the population of Pakistan. MQM will abolish all black laws that are the source of discrimination against women. Every type of discrimination against women will be brought to an end. Karo-kari, watta satta, vani, marriage with the Quran and honour-killing will be banned.

Cruelty to kiln labourers (bhatta mazdoors) and forced labour will be eliminated. Child labour will be banned and laws will be enacted against getting hard labours from the children.

Budget of the health sector will be increased considerably in order to provide better healthcare facilities to the poor people. Dispensaries and maternity homes will be built in small villages and town. Funds will be allocated for building big hospitals in villages.

An institution for across the board accountability will be formed that will be composed of persons of unembellished characters. Only the God-fearing people who have been earning their livelihood through honest means will be inducted in this institution. Once this institution is established fierce accountability will be done irrespective of party affiliations. Whether it is the MQM minister or member of the assembly or a public representative of any other political party, all will have to face accountability. Courts will also be made independent and autonomous.

The wishes of the people for formation of new provinces in the country will be decided according to their wishes and aspiration by holding referendums. Grievances of the people of southern Punjab will be removed by carrying out development works. Industries and hospitals will be built in southern Punjab.

The Kashmir dispute will be resolved honourably according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir once and for all during the MQM government.

Dynastic political culture will cease to exist and laws will be formulated against those who oppress labourers, peasants, farmers, workers so that no feudal lord could treat poor farmers and tenants with cruelty. Estates of the feudal lords will be brought to an end and a limit will be placed on the maximum landholdings in the country. The extra land available after the reforms will be distributed among poor farmers.

I say to the people of the Punjab to force the present federal and provincial government to solve the Baluchistan issue by dialogue and by embracing the Baluchi people instead of using power. MQM is ready to play its unconditional role for removing the grievances of the people of Baluchistan and for keeping them within Pakistan.

Industries in the country are shut due to the load-shedding of natural gas and electricity. We will make a workable distribution system of energy in order to stop the load-shedding of gas and electricity.

The MQM believes in the freedom of the press and media. The curbs and restrictions against the media must be lifted immediately. The government should lift bans on GEO Super and Aag TV. The MQM will announce the wage board soon after coming in power and will the journalists their due rights.

If the people of the Punjab want to change their fate and the fate of the country then they should grasp the hand of Altaf Hussain.

There are members of assemblies and senators of the MQM but there are no feudal lords in the MQM. If the MQM can bring educated an able people from Sindh in the assemblies then the MQM can send the educated, honest, upright and able people from the Punjab to the corridors of power as well. This can be done of the people of the Punjab promise to help their brother Altaf Hussain.

I want to tell the feudal lords of the Punjab that the followers of Altaf Hussain cannot be cowed down by their oppression and cruelty.

We will eradicate street crimes and legislation will be done at the federal and provincial level to provide harsh punishments against the heinous crimes of kidnappings for ransom and extortions. We will protect the younger generation who are the future of the country by strong action against drugs and narcotics.

I salute to the workers and office-bearers of Lahore and other districts of the Punjab who worked day and night in order to make this public meeting a huge success. I also pay tributes to the members of the Co-ordination Committee, office-bearers of various wings of the MQM, parliamentarians who guided their fellow workers of the Punjab. I also praise the efforts of the women who worked for this public meeting because no revolution can succeed without the participation of women.

The workers and office-bearers of the MQM should play their role in spreading the message of the MQM in the villages of the Punjab with renewed determination and spirit. They should work tirelessly so that at the time of elections when results are announced, the MQM candidates become victorious from every district of the Punjab.

May Allah help us and shower his blessings on us for our noble efforts. May Allah protect Pakistan for ever.

Despite the arrest of target killers by the Sindh Government and the accusation by former Provincial Home Minister Zulfikar Mirza and holding their coalition party largely responsible for the incidents of target killings, the records of the last two years and past three months indicate that it is mostly the workers of the Muttahida Quami Movement who have fallen victim to the incidents of target killings in Karachi. During this period 165 workers and sympathizers of the MQM were made victims of the target killings and after this is the number of Muhajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) whose 96 workers became victim of barbarity. While in the same period 68 PPP workers and 66 workers of ANP fell victim of target killings.

According to the figures separately released by the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and Ministry of Interior 31 workers of Muttahida Quami Movement died in the incidents of target killings whereas 16 workers of PPP, 10 of ANP, 4 of Muhajir Quami Movement (Haqiqi), 4 of Sipah-e-Sahaba, 6 of Sunni Tehreek, one of PML – N, 1 of PPI and 1 Shiite, making a total of 83 people became victim of target killings in the months of January, February and March.

Dr Kaleem Shaikh, who is presently posted as the Senior Medico Legal Officer at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, has confirmed that the target killers become very ruthless while attacking their victims directly hitting in the head and the face due to which sometimes even the identification process becomes very difficult and looking at the victim is a ghastly sight.

According to the CPLC sources 63 workers of the Muttahida Quami Movement were made victims of target killing in 2009 while 52 workers of Muhajir Qaumi Movement were targeted. While in the same whole year 8 ANP workers and 20 PPP workers became victims of the killers. In 2009 nine workers of Sipah-e-Sahaba, 2 of Sunni Tehreek, Muslim League Nawaz 2, Muslim League Functional 1 and 1 worker of Shaheed Bhutto group were murdered. This figure rose to 269 in the year 2010. In this whole year 31 workers and sympathizers of the Muttahida Quami Movement were killed. After the MQM second number is of ANP whose 48 workers were targeted while 40 workers of Muhajir Qaumi Movement and 32 workers of PPP were killed.

After this the second largest bloodshed occurred between Sipaha-e-Sahaba and Shiite organizations in which 33 workers of Sipah-e-Sahaba and 21 Shiite workers were killed. 8 workers of Sunni Tehreek, 4 of PPI, 1 of Muslim League Functional, 1 of Muslim League Nawaz, 1 of Muslim League (Q), 3 of Shaheed Bhutto group and 3 workers of Jamat-e-Islami also fell victims of the killers.

Likewise 83 people were killed in the incidents of target killings in the first three months of 2011 which includes 31 workers from the Muttahida Quami Movement, 16 from PPP, 10 from ANP and four from Muhajir Qaumi Movement. Aside from this 1 worker of Muslim League Nawaz, 1 Shiite, 4 of Sipah-e-Sahaba, 6 of Sunni Tehreek, and 1 worker of PPI were killed in incidents of target killings.

Year 2003 of Pervez Musharraf rule is said to be the ideal year in terms of general incidents of killings in which only 76 people were killed throughout the year. This figure also includes murders due to personal enmity and incidents of karo-kari. While in the year 1999 when Pervez Musharraf assumed power 85 people were killed, 84 people were killed in the year 2000, 107 people were killed in the year 2001 and 87 people were killed in the year 2002. The incidents of killings started increasing in the year 2004 and 163 people were killed in the entire year. This figure reached 130 in the year 2005, 278 in the year 2006 and 334 in the year 2007.

There was an alarming increase in this figure in 2008 after the Peoples Party came into power and the figure spiked to 777.  In the year 2009 the figure rose to 801 people and in the year 2010 a total of 1339 people were made victims of target killings.

In the second government of the Peoples Party 813 people were killed in the year 1994 and 1742 people in the year 1995 during the operation that started against the Muttahida Quami Movement in Karachi. This includes the extra-judicial murders as well.

The year 2010 was a very difficult year in terms crimes of kidnappings of ransom besides incidents of target killings, murders and mayhem. During the entire year 112 people were kidnapped out of which the police were successful in recovering only 22 victims. The police could arrest or disband only 19 gangs involved in the crime.

In the first three months of the year 2011 so far 26 people have been kidnapped and the police have been successful in recovering only four people and arresting four gangs involved in the crime of kidnapping for ransom. The years 1992, 1996 and 2000 were the ideal for the people of Karachi in which the crimes of kidnappings for ransom were the lowest. According to the figures of the CPLS only 8, 9 and 5 incidents of kidnappings for ransom occurred in each year respectively.

The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the future in Azad Jammu and Kashmir belongs to the MQM. The time was not far when there would be an MQM government in Kashmir and the Kashmir dispute lying on the backburner for the past 63 years would also be settled. Time had come for the people of Kashmir to reject the political parties that had been tested again and again and to turn down rich politicians indulging in dynastic politics. He was addressing a big election meeting in the capital Muzaffarabad of Azad Kashmir.

He asked the Kashmir people to support the MQM and make its candidates successful in the elections. The present government was putting undemocratic pressure on the MQM regarding the elections but he asserted that the MQM would not submit before the government or any other power. The struggle would continue.

Speaking about the Kashmir dispute Mr Hussain said that it was unfortunate that the Kashmir dispute was divided between India and Pakistan while Kashmiri people were facing problems and hardships. Kashmiri families were torn between Azad Kashmir and Held Kashmir and they did not have facilities to meet with each other.

He said that the nature had endowed Kashmir with an abundant supply of natural resources. Kashmiri people were giving sacrifices for the freedom but it was irony of the fate that they were deprived of full freedom because of callousness of the governments and political parties in India and Pakistan. The rulers of India and Pakistan used the Kashmir people as a political football and did not pay attention towards solving problems of the Kashmiri people.

He said that it was with the grace of Allah that the MQM had come to Kashmir. People were joining the MQM in large numbers. The public meeting in Muzaffarabad was a pointer to the fact the future in Kashmir belonged to the MQM.

He said that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved according to the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people and not according to the whims of rulers and politicians in India and Pakistan. The decision about the better future for the coming generations of Kashmir people should belong to the Kashmir people alone but this fundamental right had always been denied to them. He made fervent appeal to the rulers and the Establishments of India and Pakistan not to make the Kashmir people a victim of their enmity. The Kashmiri people should be given the right to carve their destiny themselves.

He asked the Indian government to stop military action and desist from using state power in the Held Kashmir. The Indian army should be stopped from killing innocent Kashmir people and from desecrating Kashmiri women. The Kashmiri people should be given the right of self-determination according to the resolutions of the United Nations.

He regretted that the political parties of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir exploited the Kashmir dispute for their personal gains and for promoting dynastic politics and the real problems were not given due attention. He asked the people to tell for themselves as to which political party arrived in Kashmir soon after the catastrophic earthquake in 2005 when bodies were strewn in the streets and people were trapped under the debris. The people replied that it was the MQM.

He lamented that the MQM was portrayed as the enemy of the Kashmiri, Baluchi, Pashtun, and the Punjabi people. But when the earthquake struck Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah and the floods came it was the MQM that arrived there for providing relief. When the famine struck in Baluchistan it was the MQM that arrived for helping the people. Similarly it was the MQM that came to the help of the people of the Punjab after the devastating floods. He asked how can those who cast aside their comfort for helping the people in the time of need be their enemy.

Addressing the Kashmir people he asked them to reject the political parties that had been tested time and again and support the party that stood by them in the hour of need. He asked them to make the MQM candidates successful in the elections.

He said that the MQM was not a party of the feudal lords. It was a party of the poor and middle class people. The MQM did not want to change the borders of the country. It only wanted to change the decayed political system of the country and empower the poor and middle class people. The MQM had not only raised slogans for the rights of the common people but also actually sent them in the assemblies.

He said that the MQM never sold party tickets at the time of election. The tickets were always given to the sacrificing and competent persons. The MQM sent common people in the corridors of power and brought them at par with the big landlords. This was frowned upon by the ruling elite and the Establishment. A worst operation was started by the state against the MQM during which thousands of the MQM workers were martyred and injured and thousands other were arrested, displaced and forced to go in exile.

He said that no one could understand the sufferings of the Kashmir people better than the MQM. We remained steadfast in the face of hardships and unending vitriolic propaganda unleashed against us. It was because of our patience that the MQM had reached Kashmir. He asked the Kashmiri people to spread the message of the MQM if they wanted to bring a change in their fate.

He said that despite the fact that we were coalition partner in the present government at the federal and provincial level yet it was trying to browbeat us in the coming election. He asserted that we would not submit before undemocratic tactics and manoeuvrings. He asked the Kashmir people to rise above divisive tendencies and get united for their rights.

He said that the people affected by the Mangla Dam Raising Project would be given alternate land. He promised that a transparent audit will be done of the funds collected after the earthquake of 2005. Residential colonies will be made for Kashmiri migrants and they would be given Rs 1500 – 2000 as allowance. Kashmir would also get royalty from the electricity generated at Mangla Dam like Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Roads and infrastructure presently in very bad shape would be improved. He promised the construction of two way roads if the MQM formed government in Azad Kashmir. He said that steps would be taken to generate employment.

Members of provincial assembly of Sindh belonging to Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) have expressed their deep concerns at the closure of offices by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) and the suspension of operations. The MPAs said that the citizens of Karachi were bearing the brunt of the unending dispute between the KESC management and the labour union. In a joint statement the MPAs said that the lives of the common people had already become miserable due to prolonged power outages and unannounced load-shedding. Business activities were also suffering greatly in the absence of normal power supply.

The MPAs said that the installations of the KESC and its staff were not being given protection despite the orders of the Sindh High Court. They said that the criminal negligence of the KESC had worsened the electricity crises to such an extent that people had to go without electricity for long hours at a stretch. Water crisis had also developed in several areas because of unavailability of power at the pumping stations. People had been forced to come out on street because of the agony that they were facing.

The MPAs said that because of the protest of the KESC the faults were also not being removed that has compounded the problem. They demanded of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, and Provincial Home Minister Manzoor Wassan to take immediate notice of the closing of offices by the KESC. The MPAs said that the government should provide security to the KESC and its staff and take concrete steps for the solution of the dispute between the management and labour union.