Mr Altaf Hussain Letter to COAS
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Posted on: 3/21/2016
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20th March 2016
General Raheel Sharif
Chief of Army Staff
General Headquarters
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Dear General Raheel Sharif sahib
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Through this letter I want to bring it your notice, and I swear by Allah and His beloved Prophet (PBUH), that I and other MQM office-bearers are constantly getting reports that certain officers of law-enforcing agencies are summoning MQM local office-bearers, elected representatives, Senators, MNAs and MPAs, and threatening them that they will have to face dire consequences if they did not join the newly-created group of MQM traitors. They are being threatened that they would be arrested on the allegations of having links with the Indian Secret Agency RAW if they did not switch loyalties. MQM office-bearers are being threatened that they will be implicated in grave affairs to which they are not even remotely connected.
While this is happening on the one hand, innocent MQM office-bearers and workers are being regularly arrested and accused of terrorist activities committed by banned outfits. Along with this incidents of killing of MQM workers by subjecting them to torture after being arrested from different parts of Karachi are also surfacing. There are also reports that MQM workers in jail are also being forced to change their loyalties by using strong-arm tactics. This serious situation is a moment of thought for all MQM workers and conscientious people.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
Are these officers of the law-enforcing agencies, who are exerting pressure on elected representatives, office-bearers and workers and coercing them to support MQM traitors, not guilty of violating their oath under Article 244 of the Constitution by trying to break a political party and getting involved in political affairs. Are these officers not bringing the entire institution into disrepute and harming its integrity?
General Raheel Sharif sahib
I know it very well that you are a honest, principled and professional general. I am sure that these affairs would not be in your knowledge or other senior officers of the army, otherwise you would have taken a personal notice because actions of these officers are not only unethical but also a clear and flagrant violation of the oath taken by them under Article 244 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
It would definitely be in your knowledge that Muttahida Quami Movement was originally formed for the rights of those Mohajirs who had migrated to Pakistan in 1947 from Muslim-minority provinces of India. They not only gave immense financial and personal sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan but also laid down 2 million lives during migration. Sacrifices rendered by these Mohajirs did not stop and continued even after Pakistan came into being. They worked hard to put the newly created country on its feet. The same Mohajirs, who had migrated to Pakistan out of their love for the country, proved their loyalty in 1971 when they stood with the Pakistan Army against Mukti Bahini and the Indian Army in former East Pakistan. These patriots and their descendants are still languishing in Red Cross camps in Bangladesh.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
Unfortunately these Mohajirs, who created immortal stories of patriotism and sacrifices for their country, were never accepted as the sons of the soil. Their exploitation started in education, politics, employment, industry, trade and other departments soon after Pakistan came into being. This exploitation continued unstoppably in one form or another but the Mohajirs did not compromise on their love for Pakistan.
When Mohajirs started a struggle for their rights in 1978 by forming All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organization in the backdrop of continued political exploitation, which later gave birth to MQM, it was subjected to baseless propaganda and repressive action by the state. Ultimately an Army Operation was launched against it on 19th June 1992. Mohajirs who were the biggest allies of Pakistan and the army, the same army was used against their representative political party MQM. The then Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz went to the extent of giving the statement if there could be several groups in PML then why not in MQM.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
State institutions were used to change the political loyalties of the MQM leaders, workers and elected representatives during the 1992 Army Operation as well. Those who “agreed” were given a clean chit and included in the Haqiqi group and those who refused had to face arrests, torture and even extra-judicial killings. It was made difficult for MQM leaders, elected representatives, office-bearers and workers to stay in Pakistan during this state operation. It was because of this situation that hundreds of MQM workers headed for different countries only for saving their lives. They went to Middle East, USA, UK, Europe, Africa, Japan, Australia and other countries. Those who could not go anywhere else went to their relatives in India for saving their lives.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
No one leaves his or her country willingly. It is only by force of circumstances that people leave their country. None of the MQM workers wanted to leave Pakistan, a country for which their forefathers had rendered immense sacrifices, and settle somewhere else. What other option did the MQM workers, who refused to change their loyalties and consequently it was made difficult for them to remain in Pakistan, other than going out of the country?
Once again some unscrupulous officers are playing the evil game of forcing MQM workers to change their loyalties. You should think over it as to who would be responsible for its logical consequences. Today, once again, pressure is being brought to bear on MQM workers to change their loyalties, while on the other hand rumours are being spread about me in a planned manner. There are reliable reports that some officers of the law-enforcing agencies have fed wrong information to some TV anchors about my health.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
I belong to a family that has offered sacrifices for Pakistan. I have fought with the Pakistan Army during the 1971 war. It pains me to say that I am being falsely accused of having links with RAW. I have always considered the Army in high esteem and it was because of this that several army generals held meetings with me after 2001 for the betterment of the country. They were all patriotic general and men of honour. Would they not have obtained information about me as to whom they were meeting with. As a leader of the MQM, I can assure you with full responsibility that the allegations of MQM’s links with RAW are baseless and fabricated. MQM is a patriotic political party that firmly believes in the security and stability of Pakistan. MQM has never been and never will be party to any foreign conspiracy against Pakistan. Pakistan was my country and it will remain my country. As a matter of fact, MQM and I stand with the Pakistan Army in facing international threats and challenges to Pakistan.
General Raheel Sharif sahib
Mohajirs are not non-Muslims. They are true Muslims and faithful Pakistanis. Surely, Allah will not like the attitude of these officers of the law-enforcing agencies towards Mohajirs. It is your duty to take action against these officers who are trying to create bitterness between Mohajirs and the Army. I implore you to play your role for giving justice to Mohajirs. Through this letter, I also pay tribute to you for continuing Zarb-e-Azb and I also pray for the officers and soldiers who were martyred during the Zarb-e-Azb.
Yours sincerely
Altaf Hussain
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7/19/2024 6:14:13 AM
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