Altaf Hussain demands for referendum on Nuclear Issue

London, May 17, 1998

MQM Founder and Leader, Mr. Altaf Hussain, has criticised the government and the leading politicians of Pakistan, for not taking a firm stance on the nuclear test spree by India. Mr. Hussain demanded of the government to hold a referendum whether it should go for a test of a nuclear device in reply to the nuclear tests of India, or not.

He expressed his surprise and dismay over what he claimed lack of a clear-cut strategy and line of action on the part of government and senior politicians. Mr. Hussain questioned the newspaper reports, which suggested that Pakistan should not retaliate against Indian nuclear blasts in order to have its loans written off and demand more economic aid from the US.

The MQM leader said the loans from the US had been taken by governments, not by the people of Pakistan. These loans, he said, were never utilised for the economic and social uplift of the people and were, in fact, squandered by the ruling clique and feudal lords of the country.

He questioned whether an army without any nuclear capability could counter a force equipped with nuclear weapons.

He said if the rulers were of the view that a counter nuclear test would not be in the interest of the country then they should exert pressure on the UN and US to force India to scrap its nuclear arsenal and seek the solution of all the problems through dialogue.

Mr. Hussain appealed to the intellectuals of the country and all the patriotic Pakistanis to send their suggestions on the Nuclear Issue directly to the MQM International Secretariat in London.

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