KARACHI, Sept 17: The London-based founding chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, has urged the partymen to serve the toiling millions sincerely and not to succumb to greed and selfishness.

He was addressing party leaders, activists and supporters by telephone on Wednesday. The speech was heard by a large number of slogan-raising supporters who had gathered at the party’s headquarters, ‘Nine Zero’ and other venues in the province to renew their oath of allegiance and to congratulate him on his 50th birthday.

There were jubilations at the Nine Zero and other party offices in the city where a large number of Muttahida leaders and workers had been converging since midnight Tuesday. They were dancing and singing on the tunes of party songs. The entire area of Azizabad was illuminated on the occasion. Huge portraits of Altaf Hussain and party flags were mounted in a big number in streets.

The Muttahida chief advised the followers to remain steadfast to the movement and not to be trapped by self-centred elements and violators of the party principles.

Mr Hussain had recently expressed his serious contempt for those elements within the rank and file of the party who had deviated from ideological moorings, envisioned by him in 1978.

He said that if the self-centred elements wanted to push their own personal agenda, instead of pursuing party ideology and addressing problems of needy party workers and supporters, they could leave the movement.

He told the audience that many of those who had joined the movement, especially office-bearers, unfortunately deviated from the basic philosophy of the movement and pursued their own vested political agenda.

Paying tributes to those who embraced martyrdom or have gone missing while remaining clinched to the objectives of the movement, Mr Hussain said that the Establishment had many a times tried to eliminate him but, by the grace of Allah Almighty and good wishes of friends, he escaped death.

Mr Hussain vowed to continue the struggle for which many people had made sacrifices.

Declaring that he would not tolerate indiscipline, the Muttahida chief advised youths to pay full to their education, show respect to their teachers and elders and resist those indulging in extortion.

He recalled the difficult times he and his family had to face since independence and said that despite all the odds, he had never been won over.

He reiterated the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s pledge to go ahead with its struggle against feudalism and socio-economic disharmony besides putting in efforts to strengthen democratic dispensation. He also renewed the party’s pledge to protect rights of the poor and downtrodden.

FELICITATIONS: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar on Wednesday evening talked to Altaf Hussain on telephone and extended his felicitations on his 50th birthday, adds APP.