KARACHI, March 7: In a hard-hitting speech directed at the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on Sunday alleged that the killings of the two girls of Memon Goth and MPA Abdullah Murad
was result of a pre-meditated conspiracy to destabilize the province and that the PPP was involved in it.
Addressing the emergent general workers' meeting telephonically at the party headquarters 'Nine Zero', Mr Hussain deplored Abdullah Murad's killing on Saturday, and said no sane person would condone and gloat over such barbaric acts. Mr Hussain also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. The address was relayed through the party's province-wide network.
The MQM chief claimed that deep-rooted conspiracies at high level had been hatched against Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular. Disturbing of law and order is part of such plots, he added.
Mr Hussain, referring to the MPA's killing, questioned the PPP's behaviour after his death and criticized the violent reaction by some PPP activists during his funeral. He said that making the killing a pretext for disturbing law and order and destabilizing the government was negative politics and could not be condoned.
Regarding the murder of Sassi and Hajra, Mr Hussain said that their parents were sympathisers of the MQM and in the last elections, they had hoisted MQM flag and banners atop their house.
They were threatened and were asked to remove the flag, banners and other symbols, but they refused to do so. Later Sassi and Hajra were brutally murdered after being kidnapped and tortured, he added.
He alleged that during Mr Murad's funeral, PPP activists turned violent, damaged MQM symbols and threatened known MQM figures. In a sarcastic and angry tone, Mr Hussain chided PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto for accusing a group within the Sindh government for the killing of the MPA.
He took it as an allegation against the MQM and recalled that Ms Bhutto, in spite of having been at the helm of the affairs, had not been able to expose the killers of her brother Murtaza Bhutto. How could she find out in such a short time that a particular group was responsible for Mr Murad's killing? he asked.
He warned that if PPP did not desist from levelling baseless allegations and hurling threats at the MQM, the PPP leadership should keep in mind that the MQM, which had faced military operation bravely, was stronger than the army.
Cautioning the workers that the PPP allegation was very dangerous, he declared that the MQM would not be cowed down. He directed his activists to keep mentally and physically prepared for any eventuality.
Mr Hussain was of the view that his party was being targeted because people from all walks of life were now getting united on its platform to confront the oppressive feudal system.
He advised the workers to remain vigilant and act only after consulting the central leadership. The MQM chief said that every political party had the right to propagate its ideas, and the MQM would resist if deprived of the right.
He vowed to challenge the PPP in every constituency of Sindh and claimed that people were rejecting "PPP's feudal and exploitative politics." Mr Hussain also recalled the extra-judicial killings during the PPP government and said: "we still have to account for the sacrifices of thousands of MQM men."
He also criticized the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and accused it of exploiting religion for advancing narrow-minded and self-centred agenda.
