Dialogue between the seven MQM leaders who had resigned from the party membership and the MQM Co-ordination Committee began in London yesterday

DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE RESIGNED MEMBERS OF THE MQM AND CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE COMMENCES IN LONDON

A Dialogue between the resigned members of the MQM and the Co-ordination Committee began in London on Monday, 1 August 1999, at the International Secretariat of the MQM. The Founder and Leader of the MQM Mr. Altaf Hussain also attended this session. The dialogue started at 8.30 p.m. and ended at 11.30 p.m. All the resigned members attended the dialogue including Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad, Mr. Mohammad Anwar, Mr. Zulfiquar Haider Advocate, Mr. Anees Ahmed Advocate, Mr. Wasay Jalil and Dr. Sagheer Ansari whereas Members of MQM Co-ordination Committee present in London Senator Mustapha Kamal, Mr. Tariq Meer, Mr. Javed Kazmi, Mr. Ashfaq Ahmed, Mr. Kanvar Naveed, Mr. Mustafa Azizabadi and Mr. Raza Haroon attended the dialogue. Mr. Rauf Siddiqui, Chief Organiser of Mohibban-e-Pakistan was also present.

In the beginning Mr. Altaf Hussain, Founder and Leader of the MQM read the message of the MQM Co-ordination Committee from Pakistan. The message for the resigned members was that since you all known that at present the Co-ordination Committee is busy in the Hunger Strike and peaceful protest in Karachi, Pakistan, therefore, at present we cannot make a conclusive decision on the resignations. It also said that a meeting of the Co-ordination Committee shall convene shortly to discuss the situation. Mr. Hussain also explained to the resigned members that he has himself conveyed their demand to Senator Ajmal Dehlvi, Senator Aftab Sheikh, Senator Nasreen Jalil (Mrs) and Dr. Farooq Sattar to meet in person. Mr. Hussain also asked the resigned members to put forward their demands and line of action in front of the Co-ordination Committee so that they could decide the course of action in their forthcoming meeting. Mr. Hussain while speaking with the resigned members said that they are very senior members of the party, and have sacrificed a lot and remain committed to the cause. Mr. Hussain also told the resigned members that Senator Ajmal Dehlvi, Senator Aftab Sheikh, Senator Nasreen Jalil (Mrs) and Dr. Farooq Sattar are trying their best to come to London. Mr. Hussain said that the Co-ordination Committee has appealed to the resigned members not to hold any press conference, interviews or issue any statements until such time that they could sit together and discuss all the issues. The Co-ordination Committee has also said that we will debate on the issues and listen to all the grievances and if the resigned members feel that the Co-ordination Committee is not working in the right direction then the resigned members should openly inform them of their line of action. Mr. Hussain also told the resigned members that Co-ordination Committee has strong apprehensions that this action would in no way be beneficial for thousands of MQM workers and supporters who have either been murdered, arrested, given death sentences in false and fabricated cases and for those several hundred who are awaiting their trial in the Anti Terrorist Courts.

Speaking on behalf of the resigned members, Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad said that they will prefer to wait for the other Members of the Co-ordination Committee to arrive in London but it was insisted that the dialogue should start immediately. Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad said that we know that the Co-ordination Committee is very much engaged in organising the Hunger Strike and is also willing to come to London for talks. He specifically said that we have no confusion over the personality of Mr. Altaf Hussain. However, he agreed that we will not issue any statement or interview till the senior Members of the Co-ordination Committee arrive in London.

Mr. Rauf Siddiqui, Chief Organiser Mohibban-e-Pakistan said that all of us are aware of the services and loyalty to the cause of the resigned members but the way to depart from the party has saddened everyone. He appealed to the resigned members to once again think over their resignations before taking any further steps.

Mr. Mohammad Anwar, the resigned member, said that as far as our sacrifices are concerned, we do not deserve any praise, we just performed our duty. The praise and glory befits those who laid down their lives for the cause, who are being incarcerated on false and fabricated charges, who have been widowed during the operation and children who have been made orphans. He said that we had not made this decision in haste and we have fully considered and are in disagreement with some of the policies of the MQM. He said that on 22 August 1990, when Mr. Altaf Hussain was returning to Pakistan, welcome camps were attacked all over the city and dozens of MQM workers lost their lives. Furthermore, we expressed our joy over the alliance with Benazir Bhutto and then a time came when we all were praying for her departure from the power. Likewise, in 1990 we entered into a coalition with Nawaz Sharif and then the Army Operation commenced against the entire Mohajir Nation and then we prayed for his departure. In 1993, during the brutal regime of Benazir Bhutto, thousands of our people were murdered in cold blood. Similarly, in1997 we again entered into coalition with Nawaz Sharif and hundreds of our people lost their lives, thousands have been put behind bars on false and fabricated charges. Mr. Shoaib Bukhari Advocate, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the MQM and the Member of MQM Co-ordination Committee, 60 years old, was subjected to most brutal torture, hung upside down, Mr. Wakeel Ahmed Jamali and Mr. Afzal Anwar, MQM Members of Provincial Assembly of Sindh were unlawfully arrested and tortured. Now the representatives of Ghaus Ali Shah came to the Hunger Strike Camp in Karachi to open negotiations but people have not forgotten his orchestration of mass massacre of Mohajirs in Qasba Aligarh Colony, Sohrab Goth and others.

Mr. Anees Ahmed Advocate, the resigned member, said that the decision to resign was not made overnight but years of negligence and discrimination is behind it. We joined the party to struggle for the rights of the Mohajir Nation and not to participate in the Elections and take part in the power politics. He said that taking part in the elections had made the MQM workers lazy and forget the cause. He said that how long we could have kept quiet over the slaughter of the Mohajirs and, therefore, it is now the right time and we have decided to choose our own way of struggle. He emphasised that it does not mean that we are not loyal to Mr. Altaf Hussain. He said that we will remain loyal to Mr. Altaf Hussain and his cause and will always consider him as our Leader.

Mr. Javed Kazmi said to the resigned members that MQM is not just a political party but a Movement with an objective to achieve the just and due rights of the Mohajir Nation along with all the deprived and neglected communities of Pakistan. He said that MQM contested in the elections just to prove its existence to the world. How else could the world have known that MQM is the third largest political party of Pakistan and the second largest in the province of Sindh. He said that by taking part in the elections the MQM has introduced the Mohajir identity throughout the world.

Replying to this Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad said that you are talking of democracy and democratic ways in that part of world where there is no democracy and the powerful establishment of the country simply does not believe in democracy and justice. He asked that how can you expect justice from a system which does not believe in it?

In the end Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui pointed out that we have always shown constraint. For decades we are being victimised and after 1992, thousands of Mohajirs have been ruthlessly murdered. He said that it is now time that MQM announces a clear line of action.

The second session of dialogue will continue on Tuesday 2 August 1999.