KARACHI, Sept 14: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said on Sunday that nazims and ministers belonging to his party were facing innumerable problems and urged the leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party to understand the problems and take just decisions.

“Nazims of Karachi and Hyderabad do not have funds … our ministers have been complaining, but instead of speaking about their problems, we extended unconditional support to the PPP to enable it to steer the country out of the crisis it is facing. We have given all we had to the PPP and now it is their turn to understand the problems and do justice,” he said in a telephonic address from London to an Iftar dinner organised by the Society Residents Committee.

He said that the MQM had been given a chance to serve the people and over the past five years it had delivered in Karachi and Hyderabad. He criticised what he called the reduction in funds of Karachi and Hyderabad nazims and town municipal administrations.

Mr Hussain also urged the government to review the recent 31 per cent increase in electricity tariff and curb load-shedding. “When industrialists are finding it difficult to run their factories, how can the poor and middle class people afford this increase?”

Expressing concern over the increase in the incidents of kidnapping for ransom and the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, especially in tribal areas, he said: “Is it not ironic that 61 years after independence we have not been able to resolve simple issues like eliminating load-shedding and providing cheap flour to people, but we raise slogans about fighting Nato and the US forces. We continue to live on charity and if they withhold it, for how many days will the country be able to survive?”

He said that he had raised his voice against the killing of Ahmedis but at that time some people had started calling him an agent of Ahmedis and Christians. “Is it not the state’s responsibility to protect the life and property of all Pakistanis?”

He said that the government should ensure that such incidents did not recur. It must maintain law and order and protect all the people, including the minorities, so that people could bring their investment back and serve the country.

Mr Hussain appealed to the government to pledge to protect democracy, and not to plunder the national exchequer and work to eliminate corruption.