Altaf Hussain urges Opposition to change its attitude

By our correspondent
The News International
22 November 2003

KARACHI: Criticising the opposition parties, Altaf Hussain has advised the opposition to change its attitude and let the democratic process continue in the country.

He was addressing at a goods distribution ceremony organised by the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) Centre on Friday.

Altaf Hussain said that the country was passing through a crucial stage, as the situation around the country was not favourable for Pakistan. Internal situation of the country required national integrity and solidarity, he added.

He said that the country had not good relations with India, Afghanistan and Iran and it was the responsibility of every Pakistani to show unity and strengthen the democratic process.

While expressing disappointment over the continued protest of opposition parties in the National Assembly, Altaf said that this attitude exposed the sincerity of these parties who claimed that they gave sacrifices for democracy.

He said that neither the policy of the confrontation could strengthen the democratic process nor could the National Assembly play its due role.

He said that one year had passed but the assembly could not make any law to provide relief to the people, which the members had promised in the elections through manifesto of their parties.

He said that no opposition in any democratic country had spent one year just in thumping desks and raising slogans. What purposes are the opposition members serving by thumping the desks and chanting slogans against the LFO, he questioned.

He said that the ‘word’ LFO and uniform of Gen Pervez Musharraf were the only issues for the opposition while the unemployment and poverty had made the lives of the common people miserable but the opposition never protested against these issues.

He advised the opposition to let the assembly function properly and bring their issues and complaints on the floor of the house. He said that the opposition was responsible for creating hurdles in legislation by raising slogans ‘Go Musharraf Go,’ and ‘No LFO No’.

Altaf Hussain said that the opposition had double standard as on the one hand the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal was enjoying powers and facilities in NWFP and Balochistan governments under the LFO while on the other hand they were criticising the LFO.

He advised the MMA to quit the NWFP and Balochistan government if the LFO was not in the interests of the country.

Altaf Hussain said that some of the opposition parties enjoyed powers in the late Zia-ul-Haq, Ayub and Yahya Khan’s regimes. He said that these dictators promised the nation to hold elections in three months but ruled over the country for more than 11 years through martial law.

He, however, said Gen Pervez Musharraf never imposed martial law in the country and he fulfilled his promises and restored democracy in the country after three years.

He said that the opposition should be ashamed of destabilising the system. The foreign and local investment would be affected if system was not stable, he added.

He said that for eliminating unemployment and poverty, a stable democratic system and unity among the people was badly needed. He asked as to how the country would develop and poverty would be eliminated if assembly was not allowed to function smoothly. He advised the opposition to change its attitude, review the external and internal situation of the country and co-operate with the government.

Altaf Hussain said that the opposition could stage walk-out and lodge protests in the assembly and raise issues under the rules and procedure but continued protest and shouting would endanger the democratic process.

Altaf Hussain appreciating the performance of the KKF and appealed to the philanthropists to co-operate with the foundation for the welfare of the people.

Altaf Hussain said that the foundation was also working to set up Nazir Hussain University, IT institute and other educational institutes.

Highlighting the achievements and future plans of the KKF, the chairman of the foundation Shaikh Liaquat Hussain said that the Muttahida believed in politics of service and the KKF had been providing services to the people for the last 25 years. He said that the KKF was planning to establish a nursing home, Nazir Hussain medical college, dispensaries, maternity homes and schools in near future with the co-operation of philanthropists.

The party leaders Anwer Alam and Shoib Bukhari also spoke.

According to the Muttahida goods worth more than Rs200 million were distributed among the needy people in Karachi.

Later, Muttahida leader distributed push carts of vegetable and fruits to jobless youth, one-month ration to needy people and other items including pedestal fans, bicycles, water coolers, blankets and wheel chairs etc.

Opposition promoting divisive trends: Altaf Hussain

By Our Reporter
Daily Dawn
22 November 2003

KARACHI, Nov 21: Altaf Hussain, said on Friday that opposition political parties were promoting divisive tendencies, by pushing their campaign against the Legal Framework Order and General Pervez Musharraf's uniform.

Mr Hussain was addressing a gathering on the occasion of distribution of relief goods of the party's welfare organisation, the Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation.

He said the politico-religious parties were oblivious of the dangerous consequence of their policies, especially when the country was beset with problems, both internal and external, and was in search for national cohesion.

A situation like this demanded vision and insight, he said, and explained that Islamabad was having problems with India, Afghanistan, and even Iran. Within the country, crisis caused by lack of investment, had tainted the employment scenario, and the ghost of poverty needed to be tackled effectively, he said.

He was particularly critical of the stand taken by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. The MMA, he said, had too many faces to show to the people. At the centre, it had taken a hostile attitude towards the Legal Framework Order, and the issues of military uniform, but in Balochistan and NWFP, where it was itself in the government, or was sharing it with other political factions, it had conveniently overlooked the very subject.

This, he said, was not politics. This was double standard which obviously meant sacrificing the principles at the altar of expediency and asked the opposition to join hands for contributing to the cause of national solidarity.

He was of the view that Gen Musharraf had fulfilled his promise of arranging elections within the promised time of three years. The electorate had sent its representatives to solve problems confronting the nation through some positive work in the assemblies. Opposition parties, instead, had adopted a negative attitude. They had tried to block the assemblies from functioning by thumping of desks, and by daily walk-outs, said Mr Hussain.

He said that protest and walkouts was the opposition's privilege, but remarked that the situation at present demanded that political parties should try and strengthen the democratic process, because the search for idealism would only be beneficial by allowing a process to continue and refine itself, rather than by creating hurdles on way.

Altaf Hussain said those objecting to the President in the military uniform, should ask the question to themselves as to why had they had backed dictators like Ayub Khan and Ziaul Haq?

Reverting to the welfare activities of the party, he was happy that Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation had grown in size and dimension over the last two decades, and had unmatched in quality. No other political party or social organization had done so much for the people as the KKF had, he said.

Mr Hussain disclosed that an IT Institute, a university, and a medical college each at Karachi and Hyderabad was being set up by an organisation which had started from scratch, but which had now become a source of strength for the people. A chain of dispensaries and hospitals were being planned even in remote rural areas.

The MQM, he said, was a party of the poor, was bereft of landlords and waderas. That is why it felt the pulse of the people, and had worked consistently for their welfare. He said that religious parties had promised many things at the time of elections but they had done nothing for the welfare of the people, he claimed.

The President of the KKF, former MNA, Sheikh Liaquat Hussain, disclosed that some 2,500 recipients were given items worth Rs 2.25 crore. The items included bicycles, sewing machines, pedestal fans, handcarts loaded with fruits and vegetables, and items which could help people stand on their feet.

He said that about 10,000 to 12,000 people would benefit from the items distributed today. Only three days ago, he said, a similar ceremony was held in Larkana. The KKF, he said, was unique in character as it believes in service for suffering humanity without reward.