'Cornered' MQM lashes out at government in National Assembly
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ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) hit out at the government on Friday in the National Assembly, with MNA Farooq Sattar saying his party is being unfairly cornered.
Sattar took the floor to voice his concerns about what he termed the government's "inappropriate attitude" towards the MQM, referring to the Rangers' raid at MQM headquarters in Nine Zero as well as the startling revelations of death row convict Saulat Mirza who claimed MQM high-ups are involved in murder.
“Everyone has a Mirza,” Sattar said. “If we have a Saulat Mirza, you have a Zulfiqar Mirza,” he added, referring to the PPP stalwart and former Sindh Home Minister.
The enraged MQM MNA said that all political parties should be cleaned, and that an impartial monitoring committee should be set up for for Karachi.
“Intelligence should be shared with us,” he said. “We will assist the law enforcement agencies.”
However, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq quickly warned him that a political speech cannot be given as a point of order, which led other MQM members in the assembly to stand in their seats and chant slogans.
The sloganeering continued for 10 minutes after which Sadiq dismissed the session's routine activity and gave Sattar a chance to voice his objections.
"Since March 11, the government has adopted an extremely inappropriate attitude towards the MQM," said Sattar. "The government wants to put MQM against a wall," he added.
Sattar further said that under the pretense of eliminating crime, attempts are being made to eliminate MQM. He also said that Saulat Mirza’s “five-hour video” was made with the permission of the Interior Ministry.
"If going to a death cell to get a statement from a death-row convict has ever happened in the history of this world, I’d like to know about it," said Sattar.
The MQM MNA also asked Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan whether action on the agenda of MQM's elimination has begun. He added that misleading propaganda is being spread against the party.
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Comments (42) Closed
Mar 20, 2015 01:11pm
"If going to a death cell to get a statement from a death-row convict has ever happened in the history of this world, I’d like to know about it."
But, there is always a world's first in every case.
Besides, it is the demand and right of the people to know who is making their life miserable.
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Mar 20, 2015 01:11pm
Ouch! It hurts. Truth is always bitter. I hope time has come for rule of law. Law must be equally applicable across the board rather than selectively as in the past. Airing his frustration is his right. Eliminating all forms of terrorism including urban target killing and extortion is the basic right of the people of Pakistan. Let us be steadfast and do the needful finally.
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Mar 20, 2015 01:20pm
Yes Mr. Sattar you are absolutely right but try and understand there will always be biasness against MQM and Karachites.
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Mar 20, 2015 01:25pm
"If we have Saulat Mirza"....so you admit he is your man?
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Mar 20, 2015 01:57pm
I totally agree with Farooq Sattar, this entire scenario is politicised by the PML-N Govt and their Interior Minister to get rid of the MQM, in other words revengeful, similar to the case that of Pervaiz Musharaf. How come Mirza has given a statement after 18 years few hours before his death sentence, sounds suspicious and strange.
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Mar 20, 2015 02:14pm
stupid justification of criminal activites
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Mar 20, 2015 02:23pm
“Intelligence should be shared with us,” he said. “We will assist the law enforcement agencies.”
So it means accused should be informed before attempting to capture them?
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Mar 20, 2015 02:41pm
If past has no record such precedents then why not to add a fresh chapter to make history for the guidance of our coming generations.
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Mar 20, 2015 02:43pm
Did n't his party agree that there should no armed wing of any political party? All those weapons recovered from NineZero were not plastic toy guns but highly effective, sophisticated weapons including sniper's rifles. Now his party is acting as victim, Saulat Mirza is spilling beans, wait & see how far this investigation goes.
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Mar 20, 2015 02:50pm
How come the Government is pushing the MQM against a wall? After receiving credible information, the nine-zero was raided by Rangers and a number of highly dangerous and wanted criminals, murders and terrorists were arrested and produced in the court. The Government fulfilled the last wish of Saulat Mirza and he recorded his statement for those who follow the same path. What's wrong with this? It is a "menace" which needs to be eliminated, to protect the lives and the property of the people of Karachi.
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Mar 20, 2015 02:52pm
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Yes, you are right, actually there is global conspiracy going against MQM. I think, Freemasons, Rotschild family, Zionists, Arabs and Communists regimes doesn't want to see MQM.
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Mar 20, 2015 02:56pm
Let's clean up Karachi, enough is enough.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:02pm
Why this hue & cry when he believed that all political parties should be cleaned. would he thinks any criminal and terrorist will be caught by sharing information with him? its surprising he is still able to talk that way after such inexcusable revelations.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:05pm
sympathy for those who still think that its biasness against a party and karachites.i wish they open their eyes and only support the good and right instead of being brain washed and divided into ethnicities.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:07pm
MQM is not being cornered only criminals and terrorist are being cornered. and for good of course.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:13pm
Get rid of criminals regardless their affiliations. This is right time for MQM to disown all criminals if this party believes in terror-free politics.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:14pm
“Intelligence should be shared with us,” he said. “We will assist the law enforcement agencies.”
No Sir, you didn't and you would not assist the law enforcement agencies. The day you / MQM start to assist the law enforcement agencies, 90% criminality issues in Karachi will be solved. But you never had intention to do this, you guys always brainwash your youth to wrong direction.
I hope and pray that you understand this and change your party course of action and i can bet 1 Million$, that they day you do this, you will see day be day improvement in Karachi and on prosperity of people of Karachi.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:21pm
Read what these guys did from 1986 until now. You read the news paper archives and you can imagine who you have to deal with. Btw its one or the other party in Sindh that has protected MQM.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:27pm
@Lucky
For God sake stop picking words. He said that figuratively not literally. MQM has said it a million times Saulat Mirza was separated from the party.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:29pm
@Lucky they never denied it. He was kicked out of the party in the 90's.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:36pm
PML N Government Zindabad . . at least karachi city . . backbone of country has been cleaned up from mess
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Mar 20, 2015 03:44pm
Classic MQM tactic. Attack the messenger because the message is not defendable.
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Mar 20, 2015 03:47pm
@Lucky
he said that figuratively not literally. He himself and MQM have confirmed that Saulat Mirza was separated fron the party in the 90's
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Mar 20, 2015 03:51pm
He is right...'everybody has a Saulat Mirza". That goes for the MQM, PPP, PMN, PTI apologist, ISI and most importantly the average citizen of Pakistan. They all harbour this hatred and undue advantage they want to gain outside the pale of acceptable behaviour, laced in religiosity. Since we are all in it, it's pot calling the kettle black. Since the ideology of divisiveness and hatred is a part of the constitution, a mandate in school books, the country has a religion and such mindset dear to the heart of most citizens, we will go in circles till eternity or disintegrate...whichever happens first!
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Mar 20, 2015 04:27pm
Isn't it strange that whenever a criminal is caught, he turns out to be affiliated to MQM. We citizens demand satisfactory answers and clarifications Mr Sattar. Are you able to provide us that?
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Mar 20, 2015 04:30pm
If Saulat Mirza was not assigned the mission to kill MD KESC by MQM, then by whom? MQM may throw light on this aspect as Saulat Mirza had no personal grudge against him.
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Mar 20, 2015 05:30pm
It's politic nothing else......
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Mar 20, 2015 05:43pm
MQM must remain peaceful and purge all the criminal elements in their party even if it means side lining the top leadership too
Fight your battles in the courts as well at the public level
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Mar 20, 2015 05:45pm
MQM Zinda-baad!!
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Mar 20, 2015 06:34pm
@Lucky
Who is denying that? Who do we think carried out the killings of PAT workers? Are there not Mirzas in PML-N team? Perhaps they wear uniforms so they get a pass.
How about the thugs in PPP running Liyari? Or the ANP militants who kill MQM affiliated people in Karachi?
All of the political parties in Pakistan have skeletons in the closets.
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Mar 20, 2015 06:35pm
@Atta no sir the strange thing is that a person is automatically labeled a criminal if he was a worker of a certain political party or if he lives in the same neighborhood. Laws are bent and hoops are jumped to grab certain criminals only while the real ones continues to commit crimes and terrorism.
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Mar 20, 2015 06:41pm
Pakistan national assembly has become the house of criminals and thieves. It is a shame on Pakistani peoples that keep supporting and electing criminals over and over again
When will this nation learn?
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Mar 20, 2015 06:48pm
Why is it that only little fish gets caught. Many political parties have people in their ranks, who are known to have committed crimes, but never charged and never convicted. Unless some of the 'big fish' criminals who have accumulated wealth through misuse of their political authority are booked and sent behind bars, crimes will continue to flourish as usual.
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Mar 20, 2015 07:24pm
It is ok to push MQM against the wall. They have been crushing Pakistani citizens between rocks and hard places for decades. Time to stand up and crush this terrorism.
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Mar 20, 2015 07:25pm
@Michael Oh really?
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Mar 20, 2015 07:42pm
soulat mirza, a convicted criminal should not be treated as farishta. He allegations has to be investigated and if find credible then law should take action agaist all those
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Mar 20, 2015 08:11pm
Very well said and well presented your case Dr. Sattar. It is very unfortunate and cursing to the Pakistan and to the citizens of this beautiful country that the "power harebrained" and arrogant govt trying to suppress a specific group or ethnicity. It is clear violation of International and moral laws. This insane, one sided and biased action by Govt and agencies will create more insecurity, uncertainty and havoc to a specific ethnicity in Pakistan.
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Mar 20, 2015 08:29pm
All political parties should work for peace and criminal activities must be stopped, otherwise Pakistan can not be prosper.
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Mar 20, 2015 09:01pm
Sir, he is right. As long as Nawaz, Shahbaz, army chief are holding the country hostage. Nothing good is going to happen in the country.
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Mar 20, 2015 09:11pm
Some people ( Like Star)live in history and some make history. Salut Mirza has made history.
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Mar 20, 2015 09:12pm
@Michael
You give statement wheever it is useful.
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Mar 21, 2015 12:38am
MQM should resign from NA and Provential assembly and also from senate. They must take a low profile and try to clear their image first. This is part-2 of Karachi 1992 operation, but this too will pass.
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