ISLAMABAD: PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan on Monday criticized the Rangers-led operation in Karachi and said it would benefit Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Altaf Hussain.

Ahsan also said the operation will “benefit MQM’s militant wing”.

“There is a strong impression that Sindh Rangers have been operating a dry cleaning machine and everyone who is set free by them comes out as a clean man,” said the PPP stalwart while talking to the media.

Ahsan said Farooq Sattar and Asif Husnain announced their disassociation from the MQM supremo after being released by the Rangers.

“Sattar and Husnain should have announced their disassociation from Altaf Hussain before they were arrested by the Rangers,” Ahsan said.

The PPP senator also said the Rangers were exceeding their legal powers and it would create further “space for the militant wing of MQM”.

“The party still belongs to Altaf Hussian,” reiterated Ahsan.

He suggested that the Rangers should dispel the impression of running a dry-cleaning machine and not be involved in changing political affiliations.

Referring to Altaf Hussain, he said, “I don’t think that British government will proceed against Altaf Hussain on its own.”

He asked the government to approach the British government for action to be taken against the MQM chief.

Altaf's speech

Altaf Hussain’s diatribe last week took many by surprise who were convinced that state institutions will use the speech as a justification for a strong action against MQM activists.

Parts of the speech that went viral on social media minutes after the violence broke out in the city’s south districts showed that while addressing the MQM workers protesting outside the Karachi Press Club against “enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of workers”,

Hussain not only raised slogans against Pakistan but also called the country “a cancer for entire world”.

“Pakistan is cancer for entire world,” he said. “Pakistan is headache for the entire world. Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism for the entire world. Who says long live Pakistan...it’s down with Pakistan.”

The MQM supremo later apologised to the military for his ‘anti-Pakistan’ remarks and, in a statement released by MQM Spokesman Wasay Jalil on Tuesday, announced he would be handing over party affairs to the Coordination Committee in Pakistan.

Hussain has been running the day-to-day organisational affairs of the party over phone from the confines of his palatial London residence and the international secretariat for a long time, although he does not hold any office in the MQM, which is a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan in the name of Dr Farooq Sattar.

It is worth remembering that it is not the first time that Hussain has been practically sidelined by the Pakistan-based MQM leadership.

In Dec 1992, Hussain announced retirement from politics in favour of then MQM chairman Azeem Ahmed Tariq. However, about three months later, he became active again, formed a coordination committee and appointed the late Ishtiaq Azhar its convener.

The Nine-Zero headquarters were opened again by Azhar and later on Tariq was assassinated in his Federal B Area home on May 1, 1993.