Founder and
Leader Altaf Hussain had not authorised coordination committee of MQM to change
the constitution: MQM’s Spokesperson.
Statement of
Mr Altaf Hussain issued on 23 August 2016 did not in any mean indicate that he
had resigned or retired and neither authorised CCC to amend the MQM
constitution.
London; 28 October 2020: The spokesperson of Muttahida Quami Movement
(MQM) has said that the statement of founder and leader of MQM Mr Altaf Hussain
issued on 23 August 2016 was misinterpreted and taken out of context. So we are
deleting that statement from our website, delay is just it was due to oversight.
In a statement issued today
from MQM International Secretariat London, the spokesperson said that the
clarification being made today is important in historical perspective in order
to eliminate the confusion or misinterpretation if any exists and to keep the
record straight.
Elaborating the
circumstances during that period of time when the statement was made, the
spokesperson said that on 22 August 2016, Inter Service Intelligence (ISI),
Military Intelligence (MI) and para-military Rangers directly controlled by Pakistan
Army started brutal crackdown against MQM, raided hundreds of offices
throughout Karachi and Sindh including central office of MQM (known as Nine
Zero) in Azizabad, Karachi, arrested hundreds of workers, office bearers and
leaders of MQM and shifted them to their torture cells and safe houses. Between
the night of 22 and 23 August 2016 para military Rangers had illegally sealed
Nine Zero including all zonal, town, and local offices of MQM throughout the
province of Sindh and effectively put an illegal ban on MQM which until today is
in place. On the same night of 22 August 2016 Dr Farooq Sattar and Khawaja
Izhar Ul Hasan were also taken into custody by ISI and para military Rangers
from Karachi Press Club in front of dozens of journalists, media photographers
and TV cameramen. Apparently they were shifted to a safe house of ISI somewhere
in Karachi. The lives of hundreds of arbitrary detained workers, office bearers
and leaders of MQM had been in grave danger on the hand of ISI and Rangers and
safety of their lives was the matter of paramount concern for founder and
leader Mr. Altaf Hussain. Unlike other hundreds of arrested workers, office
bearers and leaders, next morning both individuals were released from the
custody of ISI and para military Rangers without any explanation that why they
were arrested and on what ground they were released without adopting any legal
process. Soon after the release, Dr Farooq Sattar had announced to address a
press conference at Karachi Press Club later in the day. Before the schedule press
conference Dr
Farooq Sattar and others reassured Mr Altaf Hussain over the phone that
distancing with him is a temporary tactic to protect the lives and to dilute
the pressure of military establishment.
They said ‘we need your support, we were and will be loyal to you, you
are and will be our founder & leader rest of our lives and once the dust
settled down we will retract from announcement of distancing with you’. They
informed Mr Altaf Hussain that if they would not act what they had been asked
to do by ISI and military establishment then there would be no guarantee for
the lives of hundreds of arbitrary detained workers, office bearers and
leaders. On the reassurances of Dr Farooq Sattar and others, founder and leader
of MQM Mr Altaf Hussain issued a statement on 23 August 2016 and authorised the
Coordination Committee (comprised of members based in London and Pakistan) to
carry out organisational matters, decision making and policy making matters of
the party.
The spokesperson said that the statement of
Mr Altaf Hussain issued on 23 August 2016 did not in any mean indicate that he
had resigned or retired and neither
authorised Central Coordination Committee to amend the MQM constitution as it
was misinterpreted, wrongly implied and reported in certain parts of media.
Furthermore, the spokesperson said that the
members of Coordination Committee based in London and Pakistan firmly
reaffirmed publicly on several occasions that Mr Altaf Hussain is the founder
and leader of MQM and millions of followers of MQM around the globe will not
accept ‘minus Altaf Hussain’ formula.
Dr Farooq Sattar and others, on the behest of
military establishment, not only deceived the founder and leader of MQM Mr.
Altaf Hussain but also millions of party workers, office bearers and
supporters, particularly families of the martyrs, missing persons, detained
workers and their families. Due to their acts Dr. Farooq Sattar and others were expelled
from the party.
The spokesperson emphasised that MQM will
continue its democratic struggle under the leadership of founder and leader Mr.
Altaf Hussain.
-End-