DAILY THE NEWS
25, JANUARY 2004

Altaf Hussain calls for opening of Indian C-G, Khokhrapar border

KARACHI: cheif of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain has urged the governments of Pakistan and India to open Consulate-General in Karachi, as the people of Sindh were facing difficulties in getting visas and additional travelling expenses due to the closure of Khokhrapar border.

Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Shah Faisal Colony on Sunday, the Muttahida chief also demanded of presidents and prime ministers of the two countries to take initiative to open consulate in Karachi and the border of Khokhrapar as first step of talks between the two countries.

This was the first public meeting of the Muttahida in the area after 12 years in the area. The venue of the meeting was jam-packed, while the surrounding streets also overflowed with emotionally charged participants, including men and women, who were chanting slogans "Jeay Muttahida" and "Jeay Altaf".

The participants, who were carrying party flags and portraits of Altaf also made commitment that they would remain united under the flag of the Muttahida and the leadership of Altaf Hussain while singing songs with the
party chief.

The venue was decorated with the portraits of Altaf, roses and balloons, and pigeons were also released on the occasion. Party MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali and MPA Abbas Jafri claimed that the Muttahida had subdued its rivals in the area and it was a major victory of the party.

Paying tributes to party activists who had laid down their lives during the last 12 years in "no-go" areas, the Muttahida chief announced that the party would rehabilitate their families and declared that there would be no "no-go" area in future.

Altaf condemned the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), particularly Jam’aat-e-Islami, for extending support to army operation against the Muttahida, and the activities of terrorist elements, which had made the people of "no-go" areas hostage just for their vested interests.

He said that the fake religious leaders promoted extremism in the name of Jihad, which created crisis for the country. Altaf said these religious parties were responsible for the killing of thousands of youths in the name of Jihad and declared that nobody could save these leaders, as the geo-political situation was rapidly changing against them. He termed this situation a "revenge of
Nature".

He said the double standards of the religious parties proved that they were strong supporters of the feudal system and crimes like Karo-kari, which the Muttahida chief term against the teachings of Islam. Altaf said his party was deadly against religious extremism and wanted equal religious and
political freedom for all.

He said those opposing his demands for friendship with India, opening of Khokhrapar border and Indian Consulate in Karachi, and accusing him of being Indian agent, were now talking of friendship with India and opening of borders and trade with her.

The Muttahida chief said that all the characters involved in the army operation against his party were no more in the world and the responsible political leaders were living in exile. Without naming either Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto, he said those who claimed himself "lion" have left the country like "jackal" and were living in exile and those who named Muttahida leaders as "mouse" were now living like "mice" abroad.

He asked the people to be ready for welcoming him as he could be returning any time to meet them. Other party leaders, including Abdul Haseeb, Anwer Alam and Abdul Khaliq Baluch, also spoke on the occasion.

 

 

Daily Dawn
26, January 2004

MQM calls for opening of Indian consulate


KARACHI, Jan 25: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Altaf Hussain, on Sunday demanded that the Khokhrapar route and the Indian consulate be opened in the city to facilitate travel by divided families in both the countries and strengthen people-to-people contact.

In his telephonic address to a party meeting in Shah Faisal Colony (N0.3) he called for ethnic harmony and criticized religious parties. He demanded opening of the Khokhrapar route and establishment of a consulate in Karachi to issue visas to those wishing to travel to India, saying that members of divided families had to face tremendous problems in getting visas and make arduous journeys to meet their relatives in the neighbouring country.

"I appeal to Punjabis, Sindhis, Baloch, Pukhtoons, Seraikis and Kashmiris to commit themselves to the cause of peace, and declare in unequivocal terms that they will never fight each other," he said.

Mr Hussain hinted at the possibility of his return to Pakistan soon. He set no date but made the huge crowd at the Tuesday Bazar ground go wild with jubilation by announcing that "I will be in your midst one day, and that day is not far off".

The crowd that gathered on the occasion spilled over to the nearby lanes, chanting slogans and waving party flags. Mr Hussain thanked God that the residents of Shah Faisal Colony had remained with him despite the "sacrifices you had to undergo for 12 years." He promised to do whatever he could for their rehabilitation.

"Those who celebrated the operation against the MQM are about to meet their end. Religious parties, particularly Jamat-i-Islami, were jubilant over the action against the MQM, and are now facing the music. Terrorists are being arrested and arms recovered from the houses of their activists," he said.

The MQM chief said that a long time ago he was branded an Indian agent by Jamat-i-Islami and those in the MMA for advocating peace with India and resumption of trade and other facilities to help the people of the two countries, but the changing geo-political realities had brought a healthy change in the country's foreign policy. The two countries, he said, were now talking peace at different levels and the Jamat leaders took pride in garlanding delegations from India.

"Obviously these parties not only lack vision and insight, they suffer from inherent contradictions. They protest against the operation in Wana, but did not utter a single word of protest on the June 1992 operation against the MQM," he went on.

Yet another example of their shallowness, he continued, was their role in the recent issue of Shaista Almani. "The MMA accused the MQM of working to change the centuries-old cultural heritage of Sindh by opposing the brutal custom of Karo-kari. These self-styled champions of Islam are ignorant of the teachings of the Prophet. They did not even recognize the Nikah performed under Shariat, and yet they claim to be the champions of Islam and upholder of Islamic values. Killing in the name of honour is a disgrace to any society."

Mr Hussain once again asked the people of all sects, ethnic communities, and minorities to gather under the MQM umbrella for the protection of their rights, because "the MQM is the only party which against discrimination of all sorts." He urged the MQM ministers, senators, and members of the assemblies to ensure implementation of projects worth Rs100 million for Shah Faisal Colony on a priority basis.