Hyderabad – 20 January 2001
Neither have we surrendered to the
Establishment in the past nor will we surrender in the future. Today we are demanding our rights, however,
if we are denied of our rights then the time will come when the Urdu Speaking
Sindhis and the Sindhi Speaking Sindhis would take their rights through united
struggle. Mr Altaf Hussain, Founder and
Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) stated this while addressing a women’s
gathering over the telephone in Hyderabad from London.
Mr Hussain said that no one in
this world wilfully migrates from his home, his area, his city or even his
country. Human beings perform this act
of migration for their survival.
Migration from a home, city or the country could be because of economic
reasons or the people of a country are compelled to migrate to save their lives
because of the deteriorating state of affairs.
If within a country, a particular community is oppressed because of
their ideology, philosophy or even religion and it is made impossible for them
to survive then those people are compelled to migrate. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was born in Mecca,
however, when he raised the banner of righteousness the infidels of Mecca
treated him degradingly and different methods were adopted to oppress the
CompanionsRH of the Prophet (PBUH).
When it was made impossible for the Prophet (PBUH) and his CompanionsRH
to live in Mecca then they migrated from Mecca. Citing another example of migration, Mr Hussain said that the
Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report vividly describes the atrocities committed by
Pakistan Army upon Bengali civilians, when in East Pakistan, the army operation
was commenced against the Bengalis and their representative political party,
the Awami League for demanding their rights and State oppression was unleashed
upon the Bengalis and the workers of Awami League then the workers of Awami
League were compelled to migrate to India.
Mr Hussain said that when despite treating a community degradingly,
subjecting to oppression, imprisonment, torture and discrimination because of
their ideology, belief or religion, that community does not abandon their
ideology, faith or religion the Establishment then commences the act of ethnic
cleansing.
Why the State Operation was
launched against the MQM? He said that
more than 15000 innocent MQM workers have been brutally murdered. They were arrested in front of their family members
and then murdered in cold blood in the name of “police encounters”. Thousands of our workers have been
imprisoned and thousands have been forced to live in exile. Mr Hussain said, “several attempts were made
to assassinate me, even with the use of hand grenades. After that my companions advised me that
there is a serious threat to my life and that I should now leave the country
and lead the Movement from abroad.” Mr Hussain
said that he has continued to work and struggle day and night for his mission
since coming to London. He asked the women participants, “The way I have run
the Movement and remained in contact with the workers and the people, has any
other exiled leader done so?” Every participant replied, “no”. Mr Hussain said that you could ascertain
the righteousness of your Altaf Bhai by the fact that those who blamed and
abused him for opting for exile, the nature has made them eat their own
words. He said that Benazir used to say
that Altaf Hussain is a coward, rat, scared, has ran away leaving his followers
behind and that he should face the courts.
However, the nature took its course and now she herself is living in
exile. Similarly, those belonging to the
Pakistan Muslim League used to say that if Altaf Hussain is brave then he should
return and face the courts. Nawaz
Sharif claimed that his symbol is lion; he is not scared and would never leave
the country. However, the entire world
witnessed that the “lion” turned out to be a paper lion. To crush the MQM, Nawaz Sharif appeared on
the national television and by falsely nominating Mr Zulfiquar Haider, Member
of Sindh Provincial Assembly belonging to the MQM, accused the MQM of Hakim
Saeed’s murder. He (Nawaz Sharif) also
accused that the plan to assassinate Hakim Saeed was devised at Nine Zero, the
MQM Head Office in Karachi, Pakistan.
Mr Hussain reminded that at time, he had addressed Nawaz Sharif and
said, “you have falsely accused MQM of murder and terrorism, therefore, the
nature would never forgive you and your fate would be dreadful.” Mr Hussain said that the rule of Nawaz
Sharif, who had accused him of terrorism, remained not for long and the nature
made him witness in this world that those (Nawaz Sharif) who falsely accuse
others of terrorism were themselves proclaimed as “terrorists” by the special
courts that he had established himself to punish his political opponents. From the same he (Nawaz Sharif) was
sentenced to life imprisonment, however, the self proclaimed “lion” could not
even bear to stay in prison for one and a half year and ran away from the
country overnight with his entire wealth and his family by making a “secret
deal” with the military government.
Mr Hussain said that when he was
in prison, the government made several offers for his release, however, he refused
to accept any offer with the condition that he would not accept release until
and unless each and every MQM worker is released from prison. He said, “the world is witness that I did
not accept my release until each and every worker was released”. However, Nawaz Sharif left his people in
prison and ran away from the country.
He said that there is a clear difference between migration and running
away. Nawaz Sharif ran away from the
country through a secret deal – he has not migrated. The escape of Nawaz Sharif has proved that there is no justice in
the country. The justice system always
leans in the favour of Punjabi elite.
There is a dual justice system in the country, one for those dacoits,
robbers and plunderers belonging to Punjab and the other for poor masses and
the people of smaller provinces. For
the non-Punjabis, there is the punishment of death sentence, imprisonment and
torture cells, whereas freedom for the Punjabi dacoits and plunderers, who enjoy
exception to the decisions of the Constitution and courts. The act of releasing Nawaz Sharif and his
honourable exit abroad through a secret deal is tantamount to a slap in the
face of the Constitution and the courts of law.
Mr Hussain said that the State
Operation launched on 19 June 1992, to crush the MQM, is continuing even
today. He said that thousands of
innocent workers have been imprisoned, thousands have been compelled to go into
hiding and live away from their homes and many have lost their jobs and are on
the verge of starvation. Mr Hussain
said, “I salute my loyal companions that despite facing such hardships they did
not betrayed the Movement.” Addressing
the women workers, Mr Hussain said, “I have informed my companions in advance
to be prepared to face any situation and now I am informing you to prepare
yourselves as well, mentally and physically because you may have to play the
heroic role similar to that played in the history by brave and valiant
women.” The women participants replied,
“Altaf Bhai, we are prepared and ready to perform with our brothers.” Mr Hussain said that the Establishment has
failed to crush us despite unleashing all its State oppression. Neither we have surrendered in front of the
Establishment in the past nor will we surrender in the future. Today we are demanding our rights, however,
if we are denied of our rights then the time will come when the Urdu Speaking
Sindhis and the Sindhi Speaking Sindhis would take their rights through united
struggle.