KARACHI, Aug 11: Civil rights campaigner Syed Iqbal Kazmi has filed a private civil petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking the disqualification of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) under Articles 5, 6, 17, 33, 63 and 113 of the constitution.In the 45-page petition, he has named as respondents the federation of Pakistan, the chief election commissioner of Pakistan and the chief of the MQM.
Facing cases of passing dud cheques, Mr Kazmi is currently in judicial custody in the District Jail Malir, and sent his petition through the superintendent of the jail. He states that he does not have affiliations with any political or religio-political party and has filed the petition as a citizen of Pakistan.
In his civil petition, Mr Kazmi alleges that subsequent to his filing a petition in the Sindh High Court against certain Sindh government officials – including the adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Home Affairs, Waseem Akhtar – and the MQM chief Altaf Hussein in context of the May 12 violence in Karachi, he was kidnapped, tortured and later arrested on June 12 in what he describes as fabricated cases.
Claiming that his anti-MQM stance has put his life in danger, Mr Kazmi alleges in his petition that the All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (APMSO) was formed with an ethnic basis and mala fide intentions, aiming to weaken the political influence of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Jamaat-i-Islami among the Urdu-speaking community. He accuses the MQM chief of using the party platform to incite ethnic violence which led to the killing of thousands of people and damage to properties worth billions, between June 11, 1978, and June 10, 2007. The entire record, claims Mr Kazmi, is with the federal and provincial government and could be made available under Section 184(II)1 of the constitution.
“The MQM is responsible for the killing of Hakeem Mohammed Saeed, journalist Salahuddin, the managing director of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, Azim Ahmed Tariq, police officials including Aslam Kiani, Bahadur Ali, Zeeshan Kazmi, and collecting extortion money from industrialists at gun point,” alleges Mr Kazmi in his petition.
According to Mr Kazmi, the facts can be confirmed through a statement given by former MQM senator Ishtiaq Azhar, which was recorded in the Hakeem Saeed murder case No. 16/1999, in anti-terrorism court No. VI. The petitioner claims that Mr Azhar also disclosed that Rs65 crores [650 million] were transferred from Pakistan to London.
Referring to FIR No. 216/98 registered at the Aram Bagh police station under Sections 302, 324 and 34 of Pakistan Penal Code, FIR No. 333/98 registered at the Liaquatabad police station under Section 13-E of the Arms Ordinance and FIR No. 398/98 registered at the Artillery Maidan police station under Section 13-E, Mr Kazmi claims the MQM’s involvement in the cases. He points out that the trials of these cases were conducted in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the records could be made available through the attorney general.
In the petition filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mr Kazmi maintains that under Article 63-1-C, the MQM chief may not remain a member of his party or take part in Pakistani politics since he is wanted by the police in many cases here.
He adds that through his speeches from London, Mr Hussein has defamed the judiciary, created law and order situations in the city and used his party to extort money.