ESTABLISHMENT IS MAKING AN EFFORT TO PROVE PAKISTAN IS A STATE OF RELIGIOUS FANATICS (PRO-TALIBAN)

Karachi – 13 October 2002
Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder & Leader, has stated that the Establishment has conspired through rigging in elections by awarding seats to the rejected and so-called religious organisations with a view to portray Pakistan as the country of religious fanatics.  He said that the people of the country, particularly of Sindh Province would foil all such conspiracies of “Talibanisation”.  He was addressing the MQM workers gathered in large numbers at Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.  Mr Hussain said that elections in the past were also rigged but the Establishment has broken all of its own previous records of rigging in the Elections 2002.  The rigging was so blatant that during the election night, the MQM candidates were not only issued the certified copies of the election results but the presiding officer had announced them as the winning candidates.  However, the announced results were rigged during the night and the winning candidates were announced “defeated” next morning.  Citing the example of MQM candidate Mrs Nasreen Jalil who was declared as winner after the vote count in front of journalists.  She was also congratulated by the Governor over the phone, however, the results were manipulated and in the morning it was announced that the candidate of pro-Establishment party MMA has won.  Similarly, the MQM won the provincial assembly seats in PIB Colony and in the same area the MQM candidate for National Assembly declared to have lost the seat as a result of rigging and the candidate of MMA was declared winner.  Likewise, the MQM received several thousands votes from interior Sindh, i.e. Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu etc., but from its majority areas such as Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas, the MQM candidates were declared to have lost their seats. Whereas, on the seats where the MQM candidates were declared victorious, the number of votes to the opponent candidates were shown much more than actual.

Mr Altaf Hussain said that the MQM totally rejects the engineered and manipulated election results prepared by the Establishment and demands for re-election to be held under the auspices of United Nations Monitoring Teams because despite all the assurances by President General Pervez Musharraf, the Establishment failed to organise free, fair and transparent elections.  He further assured that in new elections, if the MQM loses the free, fair and transparent elections held under UN Monitoring Teams then it would wholeheartedly accept its defeat – and if the MQM wins the elections then the Establishment should also wholeheartedly accept the MQM’s success.

Mr Hussain said that as a result of the blatant rigging in the elections, the Monitoring Teams of European Union, the Human Rights Organisations and the entire world has acknowledged that the elections were a farce and rigged.  The Establishment by blatantly rigging the elections has tried to portray that MQM, the third largest political party, has suffered defeat and its vote bank is declining.  The people of Sindh by participating in millions in the MQM election rallies gave their verdict in favour of the MQM’s success.  Therefore, the people of Sindh could not be hoodwinked through engineered, manipulated and bogus election results.

Mr Hussain said that it is a misapprehension if someone thinks that by awarding a few MQM seats through manipulation and rigging to the so-called religious organisations, they could occupy these areas.  On 19 June 1992, several areas were occupied at gunpoint but the hearts of the people remained with the MQM.  Such oppressive measures could not deter the resolve of the MQM supporters.  He asked the participants would they become despondent because of the tactics of the Establishment?  They replied in unison, “No”.  He appealed to the workers to consider this rigging as a testing time and remain determined.

Mr Hussain paid huge tributes to the workers, various wings and departments for tirelessly working day and night for the election campaign.  He also paid tributes to the public for continuing to support the MQM despite all the terrorism and harassment.  He requested to pass on his gratitude and tributes to each and every elder, mother and sister who participated in the election campaign.  He particularly paid special tributes to the workers in interior Sindh, particularly the Sindhi Speaking polling agents, who despite being kidnapped and facing the terrorists, remained determined and performed their duties.  He also paid tributes to the Punjabi and Pakhtoon workers for their participation.