KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain categorically rejected on Monday allegations about his party’s links with the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, and said that RAW was the enemy of Pakistan and MQM considered it as its own enemy.

“Some people are trying hard to prove us as RAW agents. The patriotism of Mohajirs is being questioned in Pakistan, but I want to tell the nation on oath that neither myself nor the MQM has any link with India or RAW,” Mr Hussain said.

He was addressing on phone from London a convention of MQM office-bearers at the Lal Qila ground here.

The MQM chief said that conspiracies were being hatched against him and “concocted so-called confessional statements” were being issued to malign the party.

He said that a media trial of the MQM was being carried out and on the basis of an alleged statement of London-based party leader Tariq Mir the MQM was being labelled as Indian agent. “Those who are levelling the allegations against us are themselves foreign agents.”

Says his ouster from MQM will trigger violence

He appealed to the nation not to call the Mohajirs and the MQM ‘anti-state’. “Pakistan is our motherland and we will not leave our country under any circumstances.”

If needed, the MQM would fight against RAW alongside the Pakistan army, he said.

Mr Hussain asked the MQM coordination committee to immediately inform the law-enforcement agencies that if they came to know about any party worker who had received training from India. “There is no place for terrorists, extortionists and thieves in the MQM.”

Referring to the “minus-one formula”, he said that efforts were being made to remove him from the party. “Work is in full swing on the minus-Altaf formula...if I am removed this gathering will split into pieces and there will be a war in every nook and corner,” he warned.

The MQM leader said he was aware everyone would die one day and, therefore, he wanted to leave behind a team of “50 to 100 honest people” so that they could take his mission forward.

He asked his followers to be prepared for holding a sit-in. “If Imran Khan can stage a sit-in for three months then we can stage one for six months,” he added.

Mr Hussain said that all four provinces in Pakistan had been formed on ethnic and linguistic lines and every system in the country was also introduced on similar lines.

Criticising the dual quota system in Sindh for its urban and rural population, the MQM chief demanded immediate abolition of the quota system in the province.

Mr Hussain’s speech was also relayed in 34 cities and towns across the country.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2015

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