London – 30th March 2006
It is essential for Pakistan’s sustenance and integrity to provide full provincial autonomy to all the provinces as soon as possible. This was stated by MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain while addressing a session of Members of MQM Coordination Committee, Provincial Ministers and Advisers, Haq Parast Members of Senate, National and Provincial Assemblies and office bearers of various wings of the MQM from Pakistan visiting the International Secretariat in London. Also present on the occasion were Dr Iqbal Hussain, elder brother of Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Convenor Dr Imran Farooq, Senior Deputy Convenor Tariq Jawaid, Incharge MQM Coordination Committee Pakistan Anwar Alam, Joint Incharge Abdul Haseeb and Members of MQM International Secretariat.
Mr Hussain said that Pakistan is passing through a precarious phase and the lack of national integrity can prove detrimental to the country. Therefore, it is the need of time that the people at the helm of affairs must provide full provincial autonomy to all the provinces to save Pakistan. Mr Hussain also appealed to the President Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the Federal Cabinet to resolve the Waziristan and Balochistan Issue through dialogue and refrain from using brute State force. He also demanded to award compensation to the family of those who have lost their lives as a result.
Mr Hussain reiterated that MQM is the only political party of the country which has for the past 22 years opposed the role and undue interference of civil and military agencies; and the GHQ in the politics of the country. Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif during their rule accused the MQM and Altaf Hussain as traitors for criticising these “sacred” institutions. He further said that today both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif are criticising and blaming the army for their interference in country’s politics. He said that they don’t even have the moral courage to confess to the nation that they were wrong in the past. He challenged that if they are sincere to their claims then they must come clean in front of the nation and accept that they came into power with the support of the army generals and also accept that all the allegations levelled against the MQM and Altaf Hussain were baseless and wrong.
Mr Hussain hailed the instructions of the Chief Justice Supreme Court to expedite the court cases where the accused has spent more than his or her time in prison for the crime he has been accused of. He also welcomed the decision of the President and Prime Minister for taking notice of increase in gas bills and issuing instructions to the relevant department. He expressed concerns over the rising cost of living and unlawful storage of sugar and other commodities. He demanded to investigate such elements and punish those responsible.
END