GOVERNMENT SHOULD CEASE INJUSTICES AND DENIAL OF RIGHTS TO RELIGIOUS MINORITIES INCLUDING THE CHRISTIANS IN PAKISTAN-ALTAF HUSSAIN

London-19 March 1999

Mr. Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has flayed the Nawaz Sharif Government for meting out injustices and denying the due rights to the religious minorities including the Christians.

Mr. Altaf Hussain said that pressures and life threat to Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, President of the Christian Liberation Front is not only totally unacceptable but also uncivilised and a crime in the eyes of the civilised world and democracy.

Mr Altaf Hussain said that besides life threats to Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, the Nawaz Sharif Government is incriminating the Christians in general and the workers of the Christian Liberation Front in false and fabricated cases as punishment for working closely and supporting the MQM that is struggling for the rights of the middle class, down trodden and oppressed people of Pakistan. He said that such acts are demonstrative of arrogance and monarchical attitude of the Nawaz Sharif Government.

Mr Altaf Hussain said that MQM has zero tolerance for religious fanaticism and Mr Nawaz Sharif ’s obsession for promulgation of his "Shariah Bill" and urges him to show restraints towards the religious minorities and spare them from the State persecution. He said that the feudal oligarchy and corrupt ruler can not stop the Middle Class revolution in Pakistan for long.

Mr Altaf Hussain said that the ninety-eight per cent of the people of Pakistan desire to live together in peace and harmony and above the religious differences. However, it is the corrupt feudal oligarchy, ruling elite and the Establishment, the forces that divides and exploits people either in the name of socialism or religion, to serve their vested interests, he said.