CHIEF JUSTICE SUPREME COURT IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY SHOULD SEEK
NATION’S FORGIVENESS FOR BREAKING HIS CONSTITUTIONAL OATH AND
TAKING THE OATH UNDER THE PCO – ALTAF HUSSAIN

London – 12^th May 2007

The MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has appealed to the Chief Justice that for God’s sake look around at the political jugglers surrounding him and not to get involved in politics by following their advice. He reminded that the position of Chief Justice is sacrosanct and the MQM was the first one to condemn the highhandedness against him. The political jugglers and their violent elements around the Chief Justice have today taken full advantage of the situation and organised the bloodbath of innocent people.

Addressing the participants of the rally Mr Hussain said, “I appeal to the people of Pakistan in general and of Sindh in particular that for the independence and autonomy of judiciary, the MQM is taking out a peaceful rally on 12^th May and that they should participate in large numbers”.

He said that the MQM workers and supporters have worked hard to organise the peaceful rally. Since yesterday evening smaller rallies were out on the streets of Karachi and started their journey from the interior Sindh and this peaceful process continued until 12 noon today. Not a single incident of violence was reported from any part of the city. At 12 noon, after the arrival of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, through a well-planned conspiracy indiscriminate firing commenced directly upon the peaceful innocent participants of the rally. In jealousy of the on-going developmental projects in the city the conspiring elements planned to disturb the law and order situation. He said that today more than a dozen MQM workers have been ruthlessly killed and hundreds who were injured are fighting for their lives in local hospitals.

He warned that if the conspiring elements think that by opening indiscriminate fire upon the innocent MQM workers and killing them ruthlessly they can suppress the righteous struggle of the MQM then I would like to tell them for 30 years of MQM history, it has faced State operations, thousands of its workers have been extra-judicially murdered, unlawfully arrested, tortured and compelled to go into exile; but they remained determined and through all these testing times the MQM got stronger and stronger. He said that we are heartbroken today. On the one hand, the natural psycho-reactionary action of the workers is to get agitated but I appeal to my courageous workers to remain peaceful and observe patience and tolerance. He reiterated that the MQM is a peaceful movement and we want peace and the Allah Almighty also supports those who observe patience and tolerance.

Mr Hussain announced that the MQM has never preached violence and shall never do so in the future. He said that we do not believe in any sort of violence and MQM is against all sorts of terrorism and extremism whether it is religious, ethnic, provincial, cultural or political. The MQM has always used peaceful means to further the cause of its struggle. The MQM has proactively struggled to develop religious harmony amongst different religions and sects in the country. MQM believes that people of all religions living in Pakistan are its equal citizens.

Mr Hussain said that every religion and particularly Islam has forbidden shedding of innocent blood as the murder of one person is the murder of entire humanity. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) never used force to spread the message of Islam. The Holy Quran also states: Let there be no compulsion in religion. He said that the MQM also believes and follows the teaching of love, peace and devotion from the Sufis and Saints of Pakistan, i.e. Shah Latif Bhitai (RH) of Sindh, Bacha Khan and Rehman Baba of NWFP and Baba Bulley Shah of Punjab.

Addressing the Chief Justice Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Mr Hussain asked him that when he was warned by the Secretary Interior Sindh of some intelligence reports and he was requested to postpone his visit – but on the one hand he speaks of independence of judiciary whereas on the other hand so many innocent people have died today. Their family members have been widowed, orphaned and lost their loved ones. He asked, “Are you satisfied now?” He appealed to the Chief Justice that for God’s sake look around at the political jugglers surrounding you and not to get involved by following their advice. He reminded that the position of Chief Justice is sacrosanct and the MQM was the first one to condemn the highhandedness against him. The political jugglers and their violent elements around the Chief Justice have today taken full advantage of the situation and organised the bloodbath of innocent people.

Mr Hussain said that politics should be above self-interest. In the interest of the country should an individual get strong or the institution? He said that with due respect I ask the Chief Justice why has he been leading political rallies where slogans have been raised of “Go Musharraf Go”? What is the relevance between struggle for independence of judiciary and the slogan of “Go Musharraf Go”?  President Musharraf has been elected the country’s President by the legislative bodies. If by raising the slogan: “go Musharraf go” the political jugglers mean a complete and total end to the military’s involvement in politics then they should raise the slogan of “Go Military Go” and “Go Military back to barracks”. He said that these political and religious parties have been bringing one general after another general for their personal benefits. By “go Musharraf go” they don’t mean end to military involvement in politics but to replace one general with another and they have invited army generals to come and take over the country’s rule. He asked what is penalty for the judge who breaks the sanctity of oath taken under the Constitution. Addressing the lawyers’ organisations Mr Hussain asked why a movement or struggle for the independence of judiciary was not launched when the six judges of Supreme Court, Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice Wajih Uddin, Justice Khalilur Rehman, Justice Mamoon Qazi and Justice Kamal Mansoor refused to break their constitutional oath and to take another oath under the PCO. Mr Hussain said that he salutes the courage and audacity of these judges who refused to take oath under the PCO saying that they have already taken the constitutional oath and cannot break their oath to take another oath.

Addressing the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Mr Hussain asked on behalf of MQM workers and supporters he should seek nation’s forgiveness for breaking his constitutional oath and taking the oath under the PCO. Once the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry admits this mistake, resigns from his position and then struggle for the independence of judiciary then the parties with insignificant followings at all cannot provide him the level of support the MQM can offer.

Mr Hussain again clarified that today’s peaceful rally was not against the Chief Justice but was organised to support the independence of judiciary and against political jugglery in the name of independence of judiciary. He reminded that for the past four years all the opposition political and religious parties had miserably failed to mobilise the people of Pakistan for the million marches or with their empty slogans of resigning from the assemblies. Now, once again under the cover of independence of judiciary the conspiring elements are also trying to start Pakhtoon and Mohajir riots. He warned to beware of such elements and that the Mohajir and Pakhtoon are brothers and have no desire to pit against one another but want to stay united and care for each other. He said that when political and religious parties failed to mobilise the public then they hijacked the issue of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to topple the democratically elected government. He appealed to all the conspiring and conniving elements to abandon all such conspiracies as Pakistan’s sustenance only lies in a true democratic system. Establishment of a true democratic system will raise awareness and with the spread of education this awareness will grow and the people of Pakistan will then be able to use their vote sensibly and not rely on obeying the orders of the feudals, waderas and jaagirdars. And it is the MQM which is struggling for the abolishment of the medieval feudal system and will free the 98 percent poor and middle class masses from the clutches of the feudal lords and will not hesitate to offer any sacrifice.

Addressing the party workers Mr Hussain said that despite the brutal and ruthless murder of our workers today he will never appeal to workers to use violent means under any circumstances. He said we pray to Allah Almighty for justice and that now our Pakhtoon brothers have also joined the list of martyrs of the Movement. He said that judiciary should be independent and autonomous. All the institutions of the State should be sovereign and also confined to function within the boundaries of their duties and responsibilities. He said that MQM will continue to struggle for the independence of judiciary and to raise its voice against the political jugglery in the name of independence of judiciary.

Mr Hussain appealed to all the lawyers’ organisations that the issue of Presidential Reference against the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is in the court and legal and constitutional issues must be settled in courts and not be allowed to politicise and bring such issues out on the streets. He also asked the lawyers’ organisations that when the Supreme Court was attached during the Nawaz Sharif Government why they didn’t think of independence of judiciary then? When martial law was imposed repeatedly and the constitution suspended then why then these lawyers’ organisations didn’t think of independence of judiciary? When the Supreme Court judges refused to take oath under the PCO why these lawyers’ organisations didn’t think of independence of judiciary? Recalling the recent program of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry to address the Lahore Bar when 3 different party flags were flying on his car – why was he leading a political procession? He said to the lawyers’ organisations that they have the right to take out rallies but when they are wearing their professional black coat they must not appear to be politically influenced and should remain unbiased within the court boundaries.

In the end Mr Hussain paid tributes to the party workers for organising the rally and offered his heartiest tributes to the martyrs. We pledge that we will not let their sacrifice go in vain.