BASELESS ALLEGATIONS WERE LEVELLED TO MALIGN ME IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN: ALTAF HUSSAIN

NO ONE IN THE COUNTRY HAD THE COURAGE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE ISI.

KARACHI: 9^TH MARCH 2012:

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that baseless allegations were leveled against him in order to malign him in the eyes of the oppressed people of Pakistan. He said that fabricated stories were published that he was the enemy of the country and the people of Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan.

Mr Hussain said this while addressing a large gathering of people in Jinnah Ground Azizabad, including women and children, who had gathered to celebrate the triumph of truth after the statement of colonel (retired) Akbar emphatically denying that Altaf Hussain had taken money from the ISI.

Mr Hussain said that many in the country had accused him of being the agent of the establishment. He added that no one in the country had the courage to speak against the establishment and the ISI. It was Altaf Hussain who told the people that the ISI was dabbling in politics.

Mr Hussain said that unfounded allegations were made against him that he had taken money from General Hamid Gul and General Mirza Aslam Beg. He said that Brigadier Imtiaz had categorically stated on the media that he gone to Altaf Hussain with money but he refused to take it.

Mr Hussain said it was alleged in 1990 that the ISI had distributed huge sums of money among politicians on the orders of General Mirza Aslam Beg. It was alleged by some that Altaf Hussain had also taken money. The media and the establishment was against me as I belonged to the middle class and hence no one listened to me.

Mr Hussain said that once again an army officer colonel (retired) Akbar, who had come with Brigadier Hamid Saeed with money, had come on the media and made an unequivocal statement that they had gone to Altaf Hussain with money but he refused to take it despite pressing insistence. Brigadier Hamid Saeed said that they had brought money despite the law and order situation in Karachi and hence Mr Hussain should keep it with him but Altaf Hussain refused to keep the money even for a second.

Mr Hussain said his only fault was that he refused to surrender and now people who were in the army at time are saying that Altaf Hussain did not take the money. He asserted that he could not be bought and subdued as he was the true friend of the oppressed and downtrodden people of Pakistan.

Mr Hussain said that it was because of his refusal that poisonous propaganda was done against him in the country, particularly in the province of the Punjab. He said that his hands were clean and the politicians who had pocketed money from the ISI should hide their faces and leave the poor people of the country.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM was going to organize a women public meeting in the Punjab soon. He asked women of the Punjab to make this meeting a huge success as no other party in the country had made sincere efforts for the rights of women.

Mr Hussain exhorted the people of Pakistan to support the MQM for bringing to an end the feudal system that had sapped the lifeblood from the body of the country.

Mr Hussain asked the MQM workers and sympathizers to offer thanksgiving prayers as their leader had been vindicated of the baseless allegations leveled against him. He said that the joy was mingled with pain and grief as a large number of people were martyred in the way of truth because of one refusal.

Earlier Mr Hussain said that honour and dishonor were in the hands of Allah alone. Allah honours whomsoever He wills and He brings disgrace to whomsoever He wills. He said that the truth becomes triumphant in the end.

Members of the Co-ordination Committee, parliamentarians, office-bearers and workers of various wings of the MQM were present on the occasion.