Union Texas murder case Conviction of Muttahida men 'mockery of justice': Altaf

By Aamir Ghauri

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement's founder leader Altaf Hussain has termed the decision by an Anti-Terrorism Court sentencing two MQM workers to death for killing four Americans and their driver, a "mockery of justice" based on flawed evidence produced as facts.

Addressing a press conference at the MQM's new International Secretariat in north London on Wednesday, Altaf presented the copy of ATC decision which incriminates Altaf Hussain's former press secretary, Nadeem Nusrat, for being present at the time of killing of the Union Texas employees and their driver and for forming an unlawful assembly.

He showed Nadeem Nusrat's asylum application to the British authorities, filed in 1992 and said: "Nadeem Nusrat is residing in London since January 1992. He applied for political asylum on June 29, 1992 and according to procedure, he submitted his Pakistani passport and other documents to the British authorities. Now if we accept that Nadeem Nusrat was not only involved in the murder of these four Americans, on November 12, 1997, but also was present on the scene, we will have to see how Nadeem Nusrat went to Pakistan without his travel documents."

He said was it being implied that the British government and its various agencies have helped the MQM in killing the American nationals. Altaf said the announcement of the judgment was delayed to "convert lies into truth but the name of Nadeem Nusrat was not deleted". He said: "This is not a judgment but a pack of lies. The way a Kangaroo court has involved Nadeem Nusrat in the murder case, also shows how the confessional statements were forcibly extracted from MQM workers to implicate their party in false cases."

Showing FBI reports along with American and Pakistani newspaper clippings, Altaf said the American investigation teams had interrogated and examined the MQM workers and exonerated them from any involvement in the murder case. "The American investigation teams had expressed their apprehensions over the involvement of the Aimal Kasi group and Harkat-ul-Ansar in the murder case. Various FBI reports are proof of that," Altaf claimed.

He also pointed to other discrepancies in the police version of the arrests of both MQM workers. "The DIG had presented Ahmed Saeed and Mohammad Saleem at a press conference on February 28, 1999 and claimed that both the accused were arrested on January 27, 1999.

He also claimed that both the MQM workers had confessed to the killing of the Union Texas employees. Whereas, the fact is, that Ahmed Saeed was arrested on December 14, 1998 from his flat in Bahadurabad, Karachi and his mother had filed a petition against the illegal detention of her son in the Sindh High Court on December 21, 1998. Similarly, Mohammad Saleem was arrested on November 27, 1998 from Water Pump, Federal B Area, Karachi."

Answering a question about Pakistan demanding his extradition from Britain, the MQM leader said: "I would welcome if Pakistan asks for my extradition because that will give me a chance to show to the world what is happening not only to Mohajirs but all other ethno-linguistic and religious minorities in Pakistan." But he also added that Pakistan would not dare do it "because they know that this is not Pakistan. This is Britain where law prevails and where even Prime Minister Tony Blair cannot influence the courts. And British courts are not Kangaroo courts working under the whims of their prime minister".

Replying briefly to a question about the recent Kargil "misadventure", Altaf said the army had spared Nawaz Sharif only because he is from Punjab. "Had Benazir Bhutto asked for withdrawal from Kargil, she would have been forced by the army to step down."

Replying to a query whether there was a consensus between the MQM and the Pakistan People's Party before announcing a single date, September 4, for a strike in Sindh, Altaf said: "We announced the date first and the PPP made a separate announcement. There is no joint plan for that." About the possibility of a PPP-MQM alliance, he said "nothing is impossible" but the decision in this regard would be taken by the party's central coordination committee, which would consult the people "from unit level upwards" to reach a united decision.

He said the MQM is planning to engage international human rights organisations to "take our case to the International Court of Justice as we do not have any hopes of getting justice from the Pakistani courts".

He, however, confirmed that so far they had not made any formal contacts with any of the Human Rights bodies in this regard. But he also appealed to the president, the army chief and the Supreme Court chief justice to take notice of the ATC decision "which is nothing but a prime example of mock trials to crush the MQM and other opposition in the country".

PPI adds: Altaf said due to majority in the National Assembly, the ruling party is promulgating the unconstitutional and undemocratic ordinances to strengthen the Muslim League government and weaken the opposition political parties.

He said we are not against the "Shariat" but are against the so-called "Shariat Bill" of Nawaz Sharif that would make him a monarch.

He said the state media is being fully employed to malign the MQM and to arrest and harass the members of the political opposition and spy on their movements instead of arresting the thieves, robbers and other criminals.

He alleged under the umbrella of judiciary, the objective of the Anti-Terrorism Courts is to sentence the members of the political opposition to death and so far over 50 MQM workers have been sentenced to death by "implicating them in false and fabricated cases".

He demanded withdrawal of the death sentence imposed on innocent MQM workers by the "Kangaroo courts" and abolishing the "Kangaroo courts". He emphasised that if any MQM leader, elected member, office-bearer and worker or any one else is sent to the gallows on the judgment of the "Kangaroo courts", he would be fully justified in claiming Qisas and Diyat against the perpetrators in accordance with the Islamic laws.