MQM HAS NOT COME INTO BEING OVERNIGHT: ALTAF HUSSAIN

MQM IS NOT DOMINATED BY ANY PARTICULAR FAMILY AND DECISIONS ARE TAKEN PURELY ON MERIT

LONDON: 14^TH FEBRUARY 2012:

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the MQM had struggled for many years in the streets, and it had not emerged on the scene overnight. The MQM sent youths of the poor and middle class from the streets in the assemblies, and it was now the last ray of hope for the common people of the country throughout Pakistan. He was talking on the telephone to the office-bearers and workers who had joined the MQM by leaving the ANP. Mr Hussain welcomed everyone in the MQM and termed it a good sign.

Mr Hussain said that the culture of family and dynastic politics was firmly established in all other parties, and every party was known by a particular family. The organizational structure and politics of the MQM were completely different from these parties. There was no domination of a particular family in the MQM and decisions about party offices and award of election tickets were made purely on merit as against other parties where family ties and financial position played a decisive role.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM had been contesting elections since 1987, but none of his relatives was every made a member of assemblies. He asserted that his struggle was for the deprived and dispossessed people of the country and not for personal aggrandizement.

Mr Hussain said that Pakistan had become independent in 1947 but nearly 98 per cent people of the country were still forced to live a life of subjugation. He said that big feudal lords, and their scions had arrogated to themselves the right to rule over the country.  

Mr Hussain said that it was unfortunate that the decaying feudal system was prevailing in the country, and certain political parties got the backing of the army and the establishment to perpetuate this system in the country. Such parties were brought into the limelight overnight.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM had started its journey from the student’s organization, and it spent many years struggling in streets. The MQM sent youths from the poor and middle class in the assemblies, a feat that was recognized even in the past. The MQM leaders and workers had to face immense hardships, miseries and undergo imprisonment for forwarding the mission and objectives of the party.

Mr Hussain said that he had to go to jail three times and his elder brother and nephew who had nothing to do with politics were martyred. Thousands of the MQM workers were also put to death.

Mr Hussain said that a nation that was deprived of its rights cannot regain its rights unless the system was changed. The MQM was striving indefatigably to rid the country of the corrupt ruling class and bring to an end the decaying system. He said that the system would not be changed unless the deprived and disposed people got united into an unbreakable bond.

The workers joining the MQM assured Mr Hussain that they would work for spreading the message of the MQM in the cities, town and villages of the Punjab.

Those joining the MQM included member of the central executive committee of the ANP and head of the Gujjar community Nasir Mahmood Chaudhry, vice president of ANP Punjab Khalid Mahmood, deputy secretary general Rizwan Chaudhry, provincial secretary information Aamir Khan Lodhi, president ANP Lahore Saeed Khan, senior vice president ANP Punjab Nazeer Khan, Malik Mahmood from Sargodha, Khan Bahadur Gujjar from Pindi, Mian Idrees from Samrial, Raheel Khan from Sawabi, president ANP youth wing Punjab Ahsan Gujjar, Abrar Bajwa, Ahmed Mian from Sialkot and office-bearers of rickshaw association of the Punjab.  

Members of the Co-ordination Committee Raza Haroon, Wasay Jalil, Saif Yar Khan and office-bearers of the provincial committee of Punjab and Lahore Zone of the MQM were also present on the occasion.

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