KARACHI, Dec 7: In what appeared to be an attempt to dispel a perception that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement is a pro-American party, its chief Altaf Hussain on Friday lashed out at the US and other western countries for supporting the feudal system in Pakistan because it suited their interests.

“America is on top of the list of the countries which are pulling the strings of the Pakistani establishment. The US dislikes the MQM because it has always stood against the status quo,” Mr Hussain said in a telephonic address from London to a meeting held as part of his party’s election campaign.

Mr Hussain advised political and religious parties to participate in the general election because “most of their demands have been met by President Pervez Musharraf”.

He said the US could see everything through its satellites, but it had never been able to see private jails of feudal lords in Pakistan.

He accused the US of supporting elements who had looted the country’s exchequer and were involved in extra-judicial killings. But, he said, it never used a good word for the MQM in its reports, despite the fact that over 15,000 of its workers had been killed.

He said some religious and political parties were alleging that President Musharraf was doing everything at the behest of the US, but the fact was that all Pakistani leaders were following the US dictates.

Citing the examples of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, he said when the two former prime ministers were living abroad they always requested the US to intervene and get them cleared.

He said the US was giving aid to Pakistan and only for the war on terror it had provided $10 billion. “We are compelled to accept the dictates of these powers because we are heavily indebted. If we want to become a sovereign state we will have to eliminate corruption and work hard.”

He appealed to political and religious parties to forget the past, accept each other with open heart, try together to rid the country of debt and work for the solidarity and progress of Pakistan.

He offered an apology to parties which might have been affected directly or indirectly by the MQM.