April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

KARACHI, April 1: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has demanded Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani constitute an inquiry commission to investigate the May 12 violence, the loot and plunder following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27 in Karachi and other parts of Sindh and the June 1992 army operation against the MQM.

Addressing a gathering of the business community here the other day, he said the inquiry commission should comprise judges from the International Court of Justice.

Reiterating his party’s “positive attitude” after the February 18 general elections, he said that despite provocative statements from the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the MQM had offered its unconditional support and on the request of Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, it withdrew Dr Farooq Sattar from the election of prime minister only for the sake of national reconciliation.

“We took all necessary positive steps for the success of the process of national reconciliation. But the other side continues to give us a cold shoulder.”

Mr Hussain said the MQM does not believe in the policy of confrontation. “But if someone thinks that by using force they can drown us in the Arabian Sea, then they are living in a fool’s paradise. We will all sacrifice our lives but it is our resolve that we will live with honour and dignity and will not allow any conspiracy that would harm our dignity,” he warned.

He said it was no longer a secret that the May 12 incident was a conspiracy planned by the agencies with a view to orchestrating bloodshed in Karachi through their agents and then blaming the MQM in order to malign its image.

“The MQM’s rally was not against the chief justice but was in his support. We want an independent judiciary but are against the involvement of political parties in the judicial process. We believe the judiciary must be respected and its honour, respect and impartiality should not be directly or indirectly damaged,” he added.

He also appealed to the prime minister to form another inquiry commission to produce the 28 missing workers of the MQM who were arrested during the army operation against the party and whose whereabouts are still unknown.