The News International, July 19, 1998

JSQM claims alliance with MQM

Nationalists of NWFP, Balochistan also
to be invited to join it, says Imdad Shah

By our correspondent

NAWABSHAH: Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah, son of late G M Syed, has said that an alliance between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz has been formed on the wishes of Altaf Hussain under which they have agreed to cooperate on three major issues -- the Kalabagh Dam, census results and the National Finance Award.

He said the meeting between the two parties decided to put aside the issues of rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis and quota system as they would be treated as secondary issues. Talking to newsmen at his residence on Saturday, Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah said that their next step would be to include the nationalists of NWFP and Balochistan in the alliance and to remove the misunderstandings created between them.

He said that no formal talks were held prior to the commencement of the alliance, but the leaders of Muttahida who came to Hyder Manzil said they had come for a joint struggle on the three key issues, while all other issues would be treated as secondary issues.

Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah said the 1940 resolution clearly envisages provincial autonomy, and the provinces have suffered losses due to the present federal system. He said that misunderstandings occurred between the provinces due to unjustified distribution of national resources.

Regarding the Kalabagh Dam, Imdad said the policies of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto were the same as Benazir also allocated Rs 200 billion for the dam during her tenure. Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah said that Benazir was pursuing a dual policy on the dam issue. He said she is playing up the dam issue in Sindh, while remains quiet in Punjab.

He said Benazir has issued no policy statement on the dam issue so far while the PPP members of the Sindh Assembly also remained absent from the relevant session which indicates the PPP policy. Regarding governor rule in Sindh, Imdad said that the ruling Muslim League would suffer more damage than other parties if governor rule was imposed.

To a question, he said according to his estimates, census results of Sindh have been reduced by as much as 10 per cent which will affect its share from the federal divisible pool. He said the population of Karachi is more than 100 million while the results have decreased the population.

Regarding slogans seeking freedom of Sindh, Imdad said freedom would be tantamount suicide as Sindh cannot survive on its own. Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah said the MQM's alliances with PPP, PML and then separation and differences was part of power politics.

He said this alliance would attract the voters of PPP as it had misled its voters on many occasions. He said we have assured our participation in anti-Kalabagh Dam rally proposed by Wali Khan. He said that if the Kalabagh Dam plan was begun then the JSQM and MQM would launch a joint movement against the dam. He said the activities of MQM were suppressed in the past, but now they have spread to all over the province and cannot be suppressed now.

On one occasion the leaders of the alliance apprehended that they would be arrested and assembly would be dissolved, but it was decided that the alliance would continue at all costs, he said. Syed Imdad Muhammad Shah said the meeting convened for alliance was attended by Dr Farooq Sattar, Senator Aftab Sheikh, Bashir Khan Qureshi, Abdul Wahid Aresar and Jalal Mahmood Shah. He said that he attended the meeting as a host, but if offered he was ready to lead the Sindhi nationalists.