KARACHI: Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Afaq Ahmed has warned that the country’s survival is under threat as India is building new dams to divert Pakistan’s share of river water.

Terming the Kalabagh dam need of the hour, he said it was high time to hold a referendum on it otherwise people would not have water even to drink.

Addressing his party’s public meeting on Liaquatabad flyover on Sunday night, Mr Ahmed stressed the need for carving out a new province to protect the rights of Muhajirs and said that since decisions in the assemblies were taken on the basis of majority, it was not possible to get any decision approved in favour of Muhajirs. “Can the Sindh Assembly make any legislation to protect the rights of Muhajirs?” he asked.

“We are advised to live like Pakistanis. I was a Pakistani but I was forced to become a Muhajir because my identity did not match with Sindhi, Baloch, Pathan or Punjabi,” he regretted.

He reiterated his party’s demand for an end to the quota system so that Muhajirs could get their due rights. He said anyone who talked against Pakistan should be hanged.

Mr Ahmed said the Pakistan Peoples Party was a party of jagirdars and waderas who could never represent Muhajirs, adding that leaders like Taj Haider, Prof N.D. Khan and Waqar Mehdi who had given their life to the PPP had never been considered for the post of chief minister of Sindh.

He also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief and said that since the general elections were near, Imran Khan was also coming to Karachi to contest polls from here as if Karachi was “booty for plundering”.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2018