Altaf Hussain met the President Pervez Musharraf in London

Party Achieving the Majority Seats be Given Opportunity
to Form the Government –Altaf Hussain

MQM Played a Positive and Unique Role for the Solidarity
and Sustenance of the Country- President Musharraf

London-26 January 2008

Mr Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) met the President Pervez Musharraf today at the Dorchester Hotel in London. The meeting lasted for one and quarter hours. Matters pertaining to national and international issues, forthcoming General Elections and law and order situation were discussed in detail during the meeting.

Mr Altaf Hussain assured the President that the MQM would continue to play its positive role for the stability and sustenance of the country. He emphasised that to achieve this, it would be essential that all the provinces are given their due rights that would promote ethno-linguistic and cultural pluralism instead of ethno-linguistic and cultural particularism. He further added that this would also generate a pluralistic society in the country and as a result, not even the greatest of the powers could cast an evil eye on the country. Relating to the General Elections Mr Altaf Hussain said that it is crucial that the forthcoming General Elections are conducted in free, fair, impartial and transparent manner and the party achieving the majority votes is given clear opportunity to form the government.

President Pervez Musharraf asserted that he has repeatedly said that the forthcoming General Elections scheduled for 18^th. February 2008 would be indeed free, fair, impartial and transparent and naturally, the party bagging the majority seats would form the government.  

Mr Altaf Hussain drew the attention of the President towards the loss of lives and properties as well as the sufferings of the people in Sindh province as a result of loot, plunder, murder and mayhem on 27^th. and 28^th. December 2007 in the aftermath of the martyrdom of Ms. Benazir Bhutto and said that the affected people, businessmen and industrialists suffered as a result need to be indemnified as soon as possible by the Government. Responding to this, the President said that a Commission has been instituted which is speedily working to compensate the affected as soon as possible.

The President applauded the MQM for its exercise of patience and restraints on the tragic incidents of 27^th. and 28^th. December and said that it helped restore the law and order in Sindh expeditiously. Furthermore, he said the MQM has played a very positive and unique role for the stability and sustenance of the country. The Military Secretary of the President, General Shafqat assisted the President while Dr. Imran Farooq, Convenor of the MQM and Mohammad Anwar, Member of the Central Co-ordination Committee and In charge of International Relations of the MQM assisted Mr Altaf Hussain during the meeting.