LONDON, Nov 2: Altaf Hussain has appealed to political and religious parties to put up a united front against what he called the threat posed by insurgencies in Fata, Swat, Northern Areas and Balochistan and suicide attacks.

According to a press release issued by the party’s London secretariat, he was addressing a meeting on Friday attended by MQM convener Dr Imran Farooq, members of its coordination committee, its international secretariat and the party’s elected representatives from Pakistan.

Mr Hussain — perhaps mindful of speculations about imposition of martial law or promulgation of emergency in the country — asked members of the coordination committee to tell the people the factual position, explaining factors that were forcing the government to contemplate such drastic steps.

He advised the same to the political and religious parties of the country, telling them that they could not maintain an isolationist approach if the extraordinary situation posed a threat to the country’s well-being.

Referring to the insurgency in Swat, Northern Areas and Balochistan and the daily occurrence of suicide bombings, he called upon political and religious parties to rise above their political and personal interests and unite on one platform because such attacks did not serve the national interest.

Mr Hussain said political and religious parties should adopt a unified line of action and mobilise the public opinion to keep the country safe from suicide attacks.

He said: “We can keep arguing and differing with each other only if the country remained intact. But, God forbid, if something happened to the country, there will be nothing left to argue about.”

Mr Hussain appealed to the political and religious parties and the public to distinguish between friends and foes. He said he had “never kept the public in the dark, he has always revealed facts but it is not only my responsibility.”

“As a Pakistani … I am trying to save the country. I remain optimistic that the people of the country will support me and the MQM in this testing time,” he said.

He said that if the political and religious parties were prepared to lead the struggle for the country then “we are also ready to follow them”. Condemning the suicide attacks and expressing grief at the loss of innocent lives, he said: “But what can we do alone? We need the support of other political and religious parties and national institutions.”