Altaf's address to
hunger-strikers: Referendum announced for future plan
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 5: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on
Thursday announced that an intra-party referendum would be held
to decide the future course of action after the party leaders
ended their hunger strike on Aug 9.
Addressing party activists telephonically at the hunger strikers'
camp outside the Karachi Press Club, the MQM chief sought views
of the party cadre on whether or not he should go on fast unto
death to press for the acceptance of the rights of Mohajirs.
The MQM chief directed the party leadership to put separate
referendum boxes at various units, sectors, and zones in Sindh,
including one at the hunger strikers' camp. All the boxes would
be opened in public on Aug 9, and the future strategy would be
determined in view of the majority verdict given by the MQM
supporters. Similar arrangements would also be made in the MQM
overseas units.
The call for a referendum had come after seven top members of the
Muttahida Qaumi Movement resigned because of policy differences.
The dissidents were insisting on "radical steps" for
securing rights.
Mr Hussain said that the "indifferent" attitude of the
people at the helm of affairs, including armed forces chiefs and
chief justices, had left him totally disappointed.
The MQM chief elaborated that despite the party's repeated
appeals to those authorities the extrajudicial killings,
humiliation of women during police raids and other excesses were
still continuing.
The MQM leader said that since he believed in a peaceful method,
he had been trying to attract the attention of international
organizations towards these excesses as well as the
"persecution" through what he called the kangaroo ATC
courts.
He appealed to the Sindhis to come forward and associate
themselves with the struggle aimed at pulling Sindh out of the
influence of Punjab.
He urged Sindhis not to repose trust in those leaders who had
betrayed them.
He described those leaders as the "agents of Punjab."
"I don't want to take the name of anyone but all the leaders
belonging to Sindh were the agents of Punjab," said the
Muttahida chief.
Mr Hussain stated that he was ready to struggle with Sindhis for
their rights, within the parameters of the Constitution, whether
or not they supported the Mohajirs.
To a question, he said that the MQM coordination committee would
decide about the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz's plan to observe Aug 14
as the day of independence from Punjab.
He, however, endorsed the call given by the Jeay Sindh Qaumi
Mahaz.
Mr Hussain favoured that the federal government should be left
only with the matters of defence, foreign affairs, currency and
should not be allowed to interfere in the affairs of the
federating units.
The Muttahida chief warned that a time could come when the people
of Sindh would demand the right of self-determination, if their
rights continued to be denied and provincial autonomy was
bypassed.
AFTAB SHAIKH: Later in a news briefing, Senator Aftab Shaikh said
that the people of various parts of the province would assemble
at the MQM's camp in Karachi to express solidarity with the
hunger strikers and to decide about the future course.
According to the plan, he said, a memorandum would be handed over
to the Sindh governor by the MQM leaders who would march to his
official residence.
Mr Shaikh said that so far the struggle had remained peaceful and
had not taken any extreme measure for which the dissidents, who
had resigned, had been pleading.
But if the regime remained indifferent, he warned, the party
would be compelled to bring the people on roads and pay back in
the same coin.
Senator Aftab Shaikh flayed the disconnection of his mobile
telephone without any reason, and accused the government of
pressuring the telephone company to do so.
Muttahida invites US envoy to visit
protest camp
Altaf's address to hunger-strikers:
Referendum announced for future plan
Petition received Mr. Saul Pelle (Administrative
Secretary) on behalf of Foreign Minister R.S.A Dr. Zuma. 2nd
petition received Mr. Moonsamy (Adminstrative Secretary) on
behalf of President R.S.A Mr. Thabo Mbeki.
Senator Nasreen Jalil, Hassan Musanna Alvi MNA,
Mujtuba Bhatti Organiser of MQM Punjab and the members of Elder
Wing and Ladies Wing are observing hunger strike at Karachi Press
Club on dated 03 August 1999.
Members of the Provincial Assembly Sindh,
Pakistan, Mr. Arif Siddiqi and Mr. Farrukh Naeem observing the
hunger strike at front of the United Nation Secretariat (UNO) in
New York
PHOTOGRAPHS OF MQM
HUNGER STRIKE RALLY IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN
MASS ARREST OF MQM WORKERS IN KARACHI AND OTHER PARTS OF
SINDH BY THE POLICE IN THE WAKE OF MQM HUNGER STRIKE IN KARACHI
AND INTERNATIONALLY
MQM Restarts the hunger strike in
Karachi, Pakistan
Photographs of the MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan
Senator Nasreen Jalil, Mr. Nawab Mirza
Advocate, Former Speaker SIndh Assembly and Dr. Nishat Mallick,
Member National Assembly observing hunger strike at the Karachi
Press Club
MQM Hunger Strike in Karachi, Pakistan
--- Second Day
Hunger strike camp of MQM uprooted in
Karachi
Pakistani police ransack ethnic party's
protest camp
HUNGER STRIKE CAMP OF MQM UPROOTED AND
HUNGER STRIKERS TORTURED AND UNLAWFULLY DETAINED
Photographs of the MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan.
MQM Global Hunger Strike in London
The MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan, opposite White House, Washington DC, Toronto, Montreal. The genocide is being committed by the Nawaz Sharif
Government.
MQM STARTS INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE IN
KARACHI, PAKISTAN
Karachi protest at 'police brutality'
FOURTH DAY OF MQM's GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIR NATION IN PAKISTAN
MQM to launch hunger strike from today
THIRD DAY OF MQM's GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIR NATION IN PAKISTAN
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi MNA and
Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Commitee and other MQM
workers observe the hunger strike in front of White House in
Washington DC, USA
SECOND DAY OF MQM'S GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIRS IN PAKSITAN
MQM LAUNCHES A GLOBAL PROTEST AGAINST
GENOCIDE OF MOHAJIRS
HANDBILLS DISTRIBUTED AT 10 DOWNING
STREET
MQM workers observe hunger strike in
London
MQM TO HOLD WORLD WIDE PROTESTS
INCLUDING HUNGER STRIKES