KARACHI: Under pressure from the establishment, government and political parties over its alleged link with India as claimed by the BBC in a recent report, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) vowed on Thursday ‘not to surrender’, calling the foreign media reports against and criticism of the party as part of ‘media trial’ and ‘conspiracy to remove Altaf Hussain from the party’s leadership.’

The resolve came direct from the party chief Altaf Hussain who in his address to workers at Lal Qila Ground near the party’s headquarters `Nine Zero’ also questioned the country’s security agencies if the BBC’s allegations against the MQM were considered truth.

“It was the same foreign media which in 2008 after Mumbai attack broadcast a detailed documentary and alleged that ISI facilitated Lashkar-e-Taiba militants to reach India,” he said. “But today the BBC report against MQM is being taken like the word of God and the ultimate truth. I demand the interior and defence ministers to come up with their versions over the BBC report.”

He said the MQM always proved itself true patriotic and democratic party, which was never accepted by the establishment. The conspiracy against the party was on for the past several years and it had now reached its extreme, he said.

The MQM chief categorically denied the BBC allegations and called it the part of media trial and conspiracy going on against the party for the past 37 years.

“After all those conspiracies met the failures, the forces behind those conspiracies are left with no other option to eliminate Altaf Hussain,” he said. “So if your leader Altaf Bhai is eliminated or killed, you should not give up. You have to carry on this struggle. You don’t have to surrender against this brutality.”

He also rejected the claim that the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, made earlier in the day about the arrest of an MQM worker as suspect allegedly involved in the killing of party activist Waqas Shah during the paramilitary force’s raid on `Nine Zero’ on March 11.

“Waqas Shah was killed by Rangers but it was also blamed on MQM worker Asif Ali just to save the paramilitary officials,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2015

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