KARACHI: Altaf pledges to provide basic needs to people
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 27: The chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Husain, declared on Friday that if his party formed government, it would bring prices of essential commodities to such an affordable level that no one would be forced to commit suicide due to hunger, unemployment and discrimination.
Speaking to a big election public meeting in Nishtar Park, Mr Husain lashed out at the religious parties and the rival Haqiqi for allegedly deceiving the people whose cause they claimed to represent.
He also demanded of the regime to demolish the “no-go areas” if the elections had to be transparent, free and fair.
Urging the international observers to take note of the situation with regard to the “no-go areas,” he said: “If the government will not demolish the no-go areas, how can one say the elections will be transparent, and free, when we are not able to propagate out views.”
At the outset, he castigated the killing of seven Christians in Karachi and observed a one-minute silence to express solidarity with the Christian community and the bereaved families.
He said those who were attacking religious minorities and those who were abetting such attacks were not friends of Pakistan or of the Muslims. He warned against a possible backlash in Western countries where a sizable number of Muslims lived.
Mr Husain, whose speech was punctuated by a highly-charged slogan chanting and flag-waving crowd, repudiated the perception that by advocating the case of Sindhi-Mohajir unity he had bartered away the rights of the Mohajirs.
He said those who were spreading this perception were Mir Jafers and Mir Sadiqs, who had come on military trucks when the operation of June 19, 1992 was unleashed against the Mohajirs. He said the unity of Sindhis and Mohajirs was not directed against Punjabis, or Pakhtoons, or Baluchis.
He also came down heavily on the MMA and alleged they had joined hands due to political expediency, otherwise none of them saw eye to eye, and they pitted Muslims against Muslims.
He categorically declared that when Sindh would be free from the clutches of the oppressive federal rule, not a single Punjabi or Pakhtoon, who had made Sindh his permanent abode, would be harrased or thrown out.
He urged such Punjabis and Pakhtoons to stop looking towards Punjab and the NWFP for solution of their problems. He said when Sindh would get its rights, they too would reap the harvest.
Mr Husain also referred to the MQM manifesto which called for drafting a new constitution and autonomy to the provinces in the true spirit of the 1940 Lahore Resolution, administrative restructuring, human welfare, development and security.
He declared that after coming into power the MQM would not only end downsizing, but would also provide honourable job opportunities. He also warned the feudals who were threatening MQM supporters in the interior of Sindh.
He declared that the MQM government would provide electricity, water, and gas to every nook and corner of Sindh and provide health and education facilities.
He also declared that the MQM would punish those responsible for karo-kari (honour killing) and the practice of marriage with Quran.
He warned those who convert schools into autaq.
“The MQM is a peace-loving political party which believes in non-violence and oppose terrorism in all forms and manifestations,” he said.
Mr Husain also referred to measures that would be taken by his party for the rights of women and measures for providing them with jobs.
Earlier, Ali Ahmed Brohi, a member of the MQM coordination committee, said the MQM manifesto was a commitment with the people, and hoped that with its implementation Sindh would experience a qualitative change and its people would not suffer due to lack of water, job opportunities and other facilities.
Aftab Shaikh criticized the PPP and the PML with whom the MQM remained in coalition. He claimed that their leaders plundered national wealth and had no locus standi for representing the people. He was also bitter against the MMA.
