KARACHI: MQM chief forms bodies for relief to minorities
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 23: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on Sunday constituted committees to help resolve the problems being faced by minorities in the country.
He simultaneously demanded of the federal Minister for Information to allocate time on PTV to Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and all other minorities on the occasion of their religious festivals in Pakistan.
Addressing an Iftar dinner, hosted by the committee on religious minorities at the YMCA hall on Sunday, the MQM chief recalled the commitment by the Quaid-i-Azam soon after independence that minorities would be free to practise their religion and protection to their places of worship would be ensured.
The MQM, Altaf Hussain said, believed in serving masses, irrespective of one’s caste, colour, creed or religion. Everyone living in Pakistan, is entitled to equal rights under the tenants of our noble religion — Islam — with guarantees given by the Constitution, he declared.
Those trying to fan hatred on the basis of religion or culture were doing a disservice to Islam and Pakistan, said Mr Hussain and regretted that certain extremist elements had been trying to vitiate the atmosphere. Islam is a religion of peace, and teaches us to be tolerant and courteous to others, he added.
The MQM, he said, was opposed to hurting the religious sentiments of people and had worked like one soul and one man.
It has acted for the service of humanity without any discrimination. It is a party of the poor; working for promoting the middle class; and the day is not far off when the repressed and the downtrodden will have their final say, he stressed.
The MQM will do all it can to protect minorities and their places of worship for it is ordained in the religion. It will open its doors for them in case of any threat to their lives and property, he said, and appealed to them to join his party in large numbers.
Mr Hussain directed former mayor of Karachi Dr Farooq Sattar (MNA), and the Adviser to the CM on Environment, Faisal Malik, to look into the problems like graveyards for Sikhs in Karachi, and for allocation of development funds to minority councillors, some of whom had complained of lack of cooperation from their respective town Nazims.
Yet another problem highlighted by the audience related to admission of minority candidates to medical and engineering colleges which, Mr Hussain said, should be given proper attention.
Sardar Bhagwan Singh on behalf of the Sikh community and Boota Singh on behalf of the Christians community pledged their support to the MQM, praising the leadership of Altaf Hussain. The MQM leader also directed that minorities should be allowed to open MQM offices in Karachi and the rest of the country.
