Altaf Hussain address to the Business community 31 March 2008

ALTAF HUSSAIN ASKS THE PRIME MINISTER FOR AN INQUIRY COMMISSION
COMPRISING OF JUDGES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
TO INVESTIGATE 12^TH MAY INCIDENT; LOOT, PLUNDER AND KILLING OF
27^TH DECEMBER AND THE ARMY OPERATION
AGAINST THE MQM ON 19^TH JUNE 1992

Karachi – 1^st April 2008

MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has demanded of the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to constitute an Inquiry Commission comprising of judges from the International Court of Justice to investigate the 12^th May incident; loot, plunder and killing of 27^th December in Karachi and other parts of Sindh; and the Army Operation that commenced against the MQM on 19^th June 1992. He expressed these views while addressing a gathering of business community at a local hotel in Karachi. Amongst those present were representatives of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Korangi Trade and Industries, North Karachi Industries, Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries and other local traders and industrialists.

Mr Hussain reminded that MQM’s demonstrated positive attitude during the recent Elections and soon after towards other political parties. The media is a witness that we demonstrated positive attitude to maintain and promote brotherhood, peace, understanding and national reconciliation. We open heartedly accepted the mandate of all political parties and never spoke against any political party. Despite the infuriating statements from the PML-N leaders we went so far to say that whether Nawaz Sharif accepts MQM’s mandate or not; we accept their mandate with open heart. Upon the announcement of alliance between the PPP and PML-N, we offered our unconditional support to the Prime Minister. On the occasion of election of the Prime Minister, the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari requested us to withdraw our candidate Dr Farooq Sattar for the sake of national reconciliation. We discussed his request and for national reconciliation, promotion of democracy and peace in the country and particularly in Sindh we not only withdrew our candidate Dr Farooq Sattar in favour of the PPP candidate but also all our 25 Members of National Assembly voted for the PPP candidate for Prime Minister. We took all necessary positive steps for the success of the process of national reconciliation but the other side continue to give us cold shoulder. MQM is the third largest political party of the country and in the recent elections 2.5 million people gave their mandate to the MQM, therefore, to ignore such a huge mandate is tantamount to refusing to accept democracy. When we are accepting other political parties mandate then it is their moral obligation to accept and respect the people’s mandate of MQM. The negative approach and attitude of the PML-N leaders and Mian Nawaz Sharif can be seen in newspapers and on television channels. They have continued to give provocative statements against the MQM particularly with reference to the 12^th May incident. Mr Hussain said that it is no longer a secret that the 12^th May incident was a conspiracy of the agencies with a view to orchestrate bloodshed in the city of Karachi through their sponsored agents and then to blame the MQM so as to malign its image. The MQM’s rally was not against the Chief Justice but was for his support that we want an independent judiciary but are against the involvement of the political parties in judicial process. We believe that judiciary must be respected and its honour, respect and impartiality should not be directly or indirectly damaged. Nawaz Sharif talk of 12^th May but does not talk of the incidents of 27^th December in Sindh province when hundreds of factories were looted and set alight in Karachi, dozens of innocent people were burnt alive, shops were broken into, looted and burnt; thousands of private vehicles and other properties of common citizens were set alight, homes attacked and looted and several cases of rape have been reported. Most of those involved in these terrorist, loot and plunder activities were from Awami National Party (ANP) and some from the PPP. During Nawaz Sharif’s rule, an unjustified army operation was launched against the MQM. During this operation thousands of MQM workers were ruthlessly and barbarically murdered after being subjected to inhuman torture, thousands were unlawfully arrested and imprisoned, our communities were cordoned off and every home was raided and subjected to the State oppression.

Mr Hussain demanded of the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to constitute an Enquiry Commission comprising of judges from the International Court of Justice to investigate 12^th May incident; loot, plunder and killing of 27^th December in Karachi and other parts of Sindh; and the Army Operation that commenced against the MQM on 19^th June 1992. He also appealed to the Prime Minister to form another Inquiry Commission to produce 28 missing workers of the MQM who were arrested during the army operation against the MQM and there whereabouts are still unknown. We have already filed a petition in the Supreme Court for these missing workers but no action has been taken to date. Mr Hussain said that we are Pakistanis, our forefathers created this country and offered invaluable sacrifices – we don’t believe in the policy of confrontation but if someone thinks that by using force they can drown us in the Arabian Sea then they are living in fool’s paradise. We all will sacrifice our lives but it is our resolve that we will live with honour and dignity and will not allow any conspiracy that will harm our dignity. Pakistan is not the property of a few families or a few parties; it is a country of 170 million people. We want peace in the country so that Pakistan is stable, progresses and prosper and the democracy flourishes. For this purpose MQM as a political party will continue to play its proactive and positive role. On this occasion the members of the business community spoke with Mr Altaf Hussain. They praised the efforts of the MQM for the country’s stability, democracy and towards national reconciliation. They agreed with Mr Hussain that all parties should accept and respect the MQM’s mandate. All the traders, businessmen and industrialists present praised the efforts of former Haq Parast Ministers and the leadership of the City District Government of Karachi for the huge and large scale development programs and projects that has no parallel in the history of Pakistan.