KARACHI, Feb 12: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Altaf Hussain, has declared that his crusade against the feudal system was not against the country but against the exploitative system.

Telephonically addressing a rally, organized Wednesday night by the Punjabi Pakhtoon Ittehad in Shah Faisal Colony, he commended the courageous step taken by the PPI chief Malik Sikandar Awan and other leaders of the party. The rally was attended by a large number of PPI stalwarts.

This was the first PPI rally addressed by the MQM chief as the two parties had been at loggerheads in the past. Mr Hussain stressed the need for forging amity among various ethnic groups for their own welfare and security.

He blamed vested interests and intelligence agencies for pitting Punjabi, Pukhtoon and Mohajir communities against each another by creating misunderstandings in the past and hoped that people would not fall in their trap again.

He declared that neither Mohajirs nor Punjabis or Pakhtoons wanted to fight with each other and prayed for those who lost their lives in crises created by the vested interest.

Mr Hussain rejected allegations of having acted against national interest and declared that he was simply against the exploitative feudal system owing to which people had suffered during the past 55 years.

The MQM chief pointed out the though the country had become independent, 98 per cent of its people were still enslaved by feudals and their allies who only constituted two per cent of the country's population.

He was critical of the manner in which poor people were being humiliated and denied their rights. He said that due to this exploitative system, children of the poor were denied accessto education, health care, etc.

He said that the feudals, despite belonging to different linguistic and ethnic groups, were protecting each other's interests. "Why can't the downtrodden live like a family while maintaining their distinct identity?" he added.

Accusing religious parties of being partners of the exploiters, he said that the MQM was a middle class movement. He advised MQM legislators to plead the case of Punjabi-Pakhtoon people.

Speaking on the occasion, Malik Sikandar Awan assured Mr Hussain of support in his crusade against the oppressive system and called upon the people to see through the game of the vested interests.

Resolutions calling for grant of lease to kutchi abadis without any discrimination; and inclusion of one or two ministers or advisers in the provincial cabinet, were also adopted during the rally.

The PPI leaders complained of police excesses and demanded lifting of ban on issuing route permits to mini-buses. The gathering also put up demands for upgrading various educational institutions and relocation of the Iqbal Girls College to Drigh Colony.