WE HAVE NO DESIRE FOR POWER OR MINISTRIES
ALTAF HUSSAIN

NAWAZ SHARIF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE

Karachi – 27^th March 2008

MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has stated that we have no desire for power or ministries. We hold dear our dignity, honour and respect and will never ask for share in power. We will enter into coalition with dignity and honour or else sit in Opposition. Mr Hussain was expressing these views while addressing an important session of the party yesterday at the Lal Qila Ground in Azizabad, Karachi. The session was attended by Coordination Committee, Haq Parast Senators, newly elected members of national and provincial assembly, all the Tanzeemi Committees of MQM, all wings, members of residents committees and members of different departments at Nine Zero. While responding to the allegations levelled by Nawaz Sharif, Mr Hussain said that Nawaz Sharif during his tenure in 1992 announced to commence an operation to apprehend 72 big fishes who were involved in extortion and the illegal activities and Chaudhry Nisar presented the list of the 72 big fishes to the national assembly. However, the operation purportedly against the 72 big fish was turned against the MQM and during this military operation thousands of MQM workers were extra-judicially killed (martyred), thousands were subjected to inhuman torture in state-run torture cells, homes were looted, womenfolk were mistreated, localities cordoned off and today Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar and other leader of Muslim League are spitting venom against the MQM. He asked Nawaz Sharif as to what was the crime of MQM that such a ruthless and infamous military operation was launched? Nawaz Sharif is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent people and he will be held accountable for this crime. Nawaz Sharif is accusing the MQM of supporting General Pervez Musharraf whereas it is a fact that Nawaz Sharif was brought up and prospered in the lap of army generals. For several years Nawaz Sharif deceived the nation by solemnly stating that he has not done any agreement with Pervez Musharraf but only last year he accepted that he did signed an agreement but it was not for 10 years and only for 5 years. He further stated that today Nawaz Sharif talks about independence of judiciary but during his tenure and on his orders the Supreme Court building was attacked. Speaking on the Charter of Democracy Mr Hussain said that this was signed between Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif and in chapter A clause 3(a) The recommendations for appointment of judges to superior judiciary shall be formulated through a commission, which shall comprise of the following: (i) The chairman shall be a chief justice, who has never taken oath under the PCO. (ii) The members of the commission shall be the chief justices of the provincial high courts who have not taken oath under the PCO, failing which the senior most judge of that high court who has not taken oath shall be the member. This charter of democracy was signed on 14^th May 2006 and until then Pervez Musharraf had not issued any other PCO. In fact, there was only one PCO of 2000 under which Chief Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar and other judges took oath. Therefore, the reason for having this clause in the charter of democracy was to remove the judges who had taken oath under PCO because it was feared that if they are not removed then they will side with General Pervez Musharraf and give decisions against them – but now Nawaz Sharif is fighting the case of the same judges! Mr Hussain said that the demand of restoration of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges by Muslim League (N) is in violation of the charter of democracy.

Shedding light on the 12^th May conspiracy Mr Hussain said that even today certain political leaders arrogantly speak of settling the 12^th May incident. They are trying to portray that MQM is responsible for this incident. Fourteen MQM workers lost their lives on 12^th May. If we had planned the 12^th May incident then we would not have included our elders, women, children and infants in the rally. Raising the curtain from the 12^th May conspiracy Mr Hussain said that on 11^th May a closed door meeting was held at the residence of a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami in Karachi, which was attended by the criminal elements of Karachi and Haqiqi terrorists. They were distributed money and arms in huge quantities and were told to hold the MQM flags in their hands and open fire upon anti-MQM political parties. They were told that if they lost their lives then their families will be provided with huge amount of money which they cannot even dream of. These criminal elements were provided arms via Islami Jamiat-e-Tuleba. On the other hand on 11^th May the Chairperson of Human Rights Commission Asma Jehangir called the MQM International Secretariat in London and spoke with Mohammad Anwar, Member of Coordination Committee, and warned him not to take out the rally or else there will be bloodshed. Mr Hussain asked how come Asma Jehangir knew of bloodshed due to happen the next day. This proves that Asma Jehangir was fully aware of the 12^th May conspiracy, which was hatched by the Establishment against the MQM. He reminded that the MQM has the video footage and photographs provided by independent media personnel which clearly shows who is resorting to naked terrorism, firing and plundering and proves that who is actually involved in the 12^th May incident. Despite these facts, the 12^th May incident was presented by most of the media on the instructions of the Establishment in such a way so as to put the blame upon MQM. The 12^th May incident was a planned conspiracy against the MQM, hatched with a view to distort and malign the image of MQM to the international community and the people of Pakistan so as to stop the MQM from delivering its message throughout the country. Another important point is that all the political and religious parties announced that they will take out rallies on 12^th May in support of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and their leaders will lead these rallies. However, surprisingly all the leaders were conveniently absent themselves on 12^th May? Why? Commenting on the incident of 27^th December Mr Hussain said that Benazir Bhutto was murdered in Rawalpindi but for three days Karachi was kept under siege, the city burnt and witnessed severe bloodshed but no police or rangers personnel were to be seen anywhere. This again proves that these elements were allowed to loot, plunder and arson in the city. A specific group in the interior Sindh targeted selected shops and properties to loot and plunder. This too was a conspiracy of the Establishment. Speaking on the dialogue with the PPP, Mr Hussain said that we have no desire for power or ministries in the past or in future. He said that certain leaders of the PPP say that coalition with the MQM is not possible. Mr Hussain said that PPP is prepared to enter into coalition with the party responsible for hanging Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and murdering Benazir Bhutto but strangely enough not prepared to meet with the people of Sindh Dharti (land). On the one hand they talk of democracy and on the other hand the so-called democratic parties are not prepared to accept the mandate of MQM. He said that by not accepting the peoples mandate they are rejecting democracy. In 1971, if the peoples mandate would have been honoured and accepted then the country would not have disintegrated. Mr Hussain said that we want to clarify to the world that we are not prepared to live dishonourably as slaves. We are equal citizens of the country and want to live with respect and dignity. We do not want confrontation with anyone and want peace in the country and Sindh because peace will guarantee the prosperity and progress of country and democracy will flourish.