MQM ORGANISED MAMMOTH RALLIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY INCLUDING KARACHI
AGAINST THE UNJUST SENTENCE TO Dr. AAFIA SIDDIQUI
ALTAF HUSSAIN APPEALS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO SET ASIDE
THE INHUMAN SENTENCE OF Dr. AAFIA SIDDIQUI

KARACHI: 28^TH SEPTEMBER 2010

MQM Founder and Leader Altaf Hussain has appeals immediate release of daughter of the nation Dr Aafia Siddiqui. He was addressing a mammoth rally at Tibet Centre, M. A. Jinnah Road Karachi. Mr. Hussain condemned the 86 years long prison sentence by a US court as inhuman and praised Dr Aafia as a woman of strong determination who has raised the head of every Pakistani with pride.

Mr. Hussain said that such a long prison sentence was awarded without any credible proofs. He said that Dr Aafia may be weak physically but she faced the courts with courage and determination. He appealed to the champions and flag bearers of democracy and human rights to take notice of such a long sentence on mere accusations.

He said that on one hand while Dr Aafia was given such a harsh sentence on the basis of accusations and without any corroborative proofs while on the other drone attacks continue inside Pakistan in which hundreds of innocent people including women and children get killed. He said that when Iraq was invaded it was said that Iraq had weapons of mass destructions that threatened the world peace. He put a question to the European nations; the United States, the United Nations, and Human Rights Organization were any weapons of mass destructions found at all in Iraq? He regretted that on the basis of mere accusations, Iraq was invaded which resulted in deaths of millions of people. Mr. Hussain asked who was to blame for such mass murder.

Mr Hussain appealed to OIC and the heads of the Muslims States to give up the mantle of shame and dishonour and work for the release of Dr Afia Siddiqui. He asked them to raise their voices against injustice and gain respect among the nations of the world.

Mr. Hussain said the world should see that the whole of Pakistan is united on the issue of Dr Afia. He said that it was not the demand of MQM but the unified voice of the nation. He appealed to President Barack Obama to set aside the unjust sentence immediately and earn the prayers of the people of Pakistan.

He said that the United States and other world powers will have to change their policies now. He said that if a survey is conducted in any part of the world, he was sure that more than 90% of the people oppose the policies of United States. He said that even the democratic and peace loving people of United States would not support these policies.

Mr. Hussain said that the world has shrunk to the extent that information from one part of the world reaches another part of the world within seconds. He said that the people at the helm of affairs in the United States, those who are involved in the formulation of policies must realize that the world is inhabited by people of different religions, cultures and languages. The only way to maintain peace in the world was through tolerance and mutual co-existence. He said that just as we respect our religion, we should show respect for the religious sentiments of others as well. He said that just as people in powerful nations had a right to follow their religion, Muslims were also free to mould their lives according to the teachings of the Prophet and the Holy Quran.

Mr. Hussain said that nobody liked terrorism but it takes two to make a quarrel. He said that people can be subdued through power to some extent only. He said that all the big empires in the world are now a part of the history. He cited the examples of Ottoman, Mughal, British, Roman and Hungarian Powers but he regretted that those who hold power always forgot history.

Mr. Hussain said that all sorts of allegations were levelled against him but he remained undeterred. He said that he was not afraid of anything. He said that despite all the problems the message of MQM was spreading in the country fast. He appealed to the appeal to join MQM if they wanted Pakistan free from the taints of corruption.

In the end Mr. Hussain offered fateha for Dr Imran Farooq who was martyred in London. His voice failed him while praising his services for the party. He said that the sacrifices made by Dr Imran Farooq would always be remembered in the annals of history and in MQM.