LAHORE: An affidavit of MQM chief Altaf Hussain submitted to the Lahore High Court on Friday did not carry an apology for his past ‘objectionable’ statements, although he regretted hurting sentiments of others.

“I solemnly declare that I regret if anyone’s sentiments are hurt and remind those who constantly paint MQM members as enemies of the state that MQM members have equal sensitivity and are hurt on a daily basis when being accused of being unpatriotic,” Mr Hussain said in his three-page affidavit bearing stamp of the Pakistan High Commission in London.

Advocate Asma Jahangir presented the affidavit before a full bench during the hearing of several petitions seeking a ban on media coverage of Mr Hussain’s activities in the wake of his alleged statements against state institutions, including the army and Rangers.

Senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar was also present in the court.

At the last hearing, the bench had asked the MQM lawyer to come up with an undertaking of Mr Hussain to get the order for blackout of his activities in media reviewed. It observed that if the MQM chief undertook to remain careful in issuing statements against state institutions, the court would review its order.

In his affidavit, Mr Hussain said his words were misconstrued and he had already explained the matter in three subsequent interviews to news channels.

The counsel also submitted a written reply of the interior ministry to that effect. It said a manual national identity card had been issued to Mr Hussain on March 25, 1974. It expired on Jan 17, 1989. He was later not keen to apply for an NICOP (national identity card for overseas Pakistanis) and had not approached the high commission for the issuance of NICOP, manual passport or manual readable passport (MRP).

After the expiry of his passport on Jan 15, 1994, Mr Hussain did not have an MRP, the reply said, adding that no record regarding his renunciation of Pakistani citizenship was available. The renunciation of citizenship was required under a dual nationality arrangement between Pakistan and the UK, the reply said.

Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who heads the bench, said the court wanted to ascertain if the respondent, residing abroad at present, came within the jurisdiction of this court.

The bench adjourned the hearing to Oct 9 after Advocate Ahmad Awais, lead counsel for the petitioners, sought time to file a rejoinder to the MQM chief’s affidavit.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd , 2015

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