MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has stated that MQM is in favour of independence and autonomous judiciary but against the elements scoring political mileage under the slogan of independence of judiciary. He was addressing the meeting of MQM Legal Aid Committee on the occasion of 1^st May at the MQM Head Office in Azizabad, Karachi. He said that the MQM is not only struggling for the rights of labour but also struggling for the legitimate rights of peasants and haris who as a result of prevalent medieval feudal system are deprived of their most basic human rights. Other political and religious parties only pay lip service to the rights of labours and peasants but in reality they support the feudal system, which has kept the peasants deprived of their rights. Whereas, Muttahida Quami Movement is the only party of the country which is struggling for the abolishment of the feudal system and for the rights of 98 percent poor and middleclass masses including the peasants and the haris. MQM is the only party which has sent representatives from the poor and middleclass including labour to the parliaments and assemblies of the country. Mr Hussain said that MQM is practically struggling for the independence of judiciary but it is against those elements who under the guise of independence of judiciary working for the ulterior political motives and political gains.

Mr Hussain said that several lawyer organisations are protesting on the issue of chief justice. He commented that peaceful protest is the right of every citizen of Pakistan including lawyers fraternity but the protest demonstrations being organised in the name of independence of judiciary have raised serious questions in the mind of Pakistani people, particularly Sindh and other smaller provinces of Pakistan. The countrymen are asking that country has been ruled by military for more than half of its time. During the military rule the country’s courts were compelled to follow the instructions of the army but why then these lawyers organisations did not start a movement for the independence of judiciary? They also ask when during the army operation thousands of MQM workers and supporters were extra-judicially murdered in the urban centres of Sindh and Government was suppressing the independence of judiciary – why the same lawyers organisations did not organise such protest demonstrations? In the same era not only false and fabricated cases were registered against the lawyers belonging to the MQM but they were also barbarically tortured and unlawfully sent to prison. The judges who strived to provide justice to the oppressed and victimised citizens were also targeted – why then these lawyers organisations did not protest throughout the country? He said that the people, particularly the people of smaller provinces also ask when after the end of Nawaz Sharif Government, the judges took oath under the PCO and the judges of Supreme Court from Sindh including the then Chief Justice refused to take oath under the PCO and resigned – but why the lawyers organisations did not organise protest demonstrations throughout the country? The countrymen also ask today it is only an issue of one Chief Justice, which the Supreme Judicial Council is dealing with but then the Chief Justice of Supreme Court and several other judges were sent home – why then the protest demonstrations were not organised for the independence of judiciary? The people are also asking that on the one hand havoc is being raised for the independence of judiciary but on the other hand the case under review of Supreme Judicial Council is being influenced through demonstrations – does this not tantamount to pressurising the judiciary and is it not against the spirit of the independence of judiciary?

Mr Hussain said that the MQM deplores the highhandedness and manhandling of the Chief Justice at the hands of police and administration but the people of the country ask those who are protesting against the mishandling of Chief Justice while they themselves subjected Waseem Sajjad, Khalid Ranjha and other lawyers to brutal torture and violence. Mr Hussain said that people of the country, particularly of Sindh, ask the Supreme Court that has taken suo-moto action for the 26 missing people while the workers of MQM have been missing for the past 14 to 15 years who were arrested in front of their family members but neither the Supreme Court took suo-moto action nor the lawyers organisations protested as they are doing today. Were the 28 MQM missing workers not Pakistanis or human beings? He said that as a result of the dual nature of the lawyer’s organisations and those raising the slogan of independence of judiciary – today Pakistan, its institutions and the judiciary is faced with precarious situation. He said that reference against the Chief Justice has been presented to the Supreme Judicial Council where Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and his lawyers are contesting his case whereas on the other hand the lawyer’s organisations have also registered their protest. Now the people of Pakistan ask that when the issue is being heard by the Supreme Judicial Council then why not allow them to decide? Why instead of waiting for the decision, courts are being closed in the name of protest and thousands of under-review cases, prisoners and their family members are made to suffer? The people of Pakistan also ask would it not be prudent for the independence of judiciary and its sanctity to resolve a legal and constitutional issue through courts and not use this for political gains. He said that nowadays Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is being invited to address various Bars and has also been invited to address the Karachi Bar on 15^th May in Karachi. He has the right to address the Bar and to invite him for address is the right of the Bar but to provide this space to the political parties for political purposes is neither constitutional nor is it for the independence of judiciary. To disturb the peaceful atmosphere and ongoing development projects in Karachi and Sindh, these political and religious parties are busy to make Karachi as their battleground. If in guise of Chief Justice’s address to the Bar and independence of judiciary, the political and religious parties will conspire to disturb the peace and order in the city then the people of Sindh and Karachi reserve the right to demonstrate with all its might against such elements. Mr Hussain requested the lawyers organisations to organise peaceful protest demonstrations but should not allow the political and religious parties to use their platform for their ulterior political motives because the people of Karachi and Sindh will not tolerate any such effort.

Mr Hussain stated that the MQM lawyers will also present their point of view through Press Conference but if anyone try to target or victimise any of MQM lawyer then they must not forget that MQM is not like the party of Waseem Sajjad and Khalid Ranjha but it is the party of courageous and bold righteous people whose workers very well know how to deal with such hooliganism. Addressing the lawyers who believe in legal issues to be resolved through legal process and who do not want to provide anyone the platform for political gains – Mr Hussain appealed to them to get united with determination to defeat all the conspiracies to disturb the peace and order of Sindh and Karachi.

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