OPPRESSORS CAN'T BREAK MY NERVES: ALTAF HUSSAIN
LONDON [UK]. SEPTEMBER 18:
The founder and leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, said, "Today, I am 70 years old. People usually break down at this age, but I'm as young and dynamic as I used to be when I was very young. The time, the foes and the untoward and hostile circumstances couldn't tear apart my resolve."I will continue to stand, sit, and remain firm and will not bow down to any oppressor." He made this statement on Saturday night while talking to workers from Pakistan, Britain, and various overseas party offices on the occasion of his 70th birthday and to renew his pledge of allegiance.
In his speech, Hussain shed light on all the periods of the movement from 1978 to 2023 to make workers, especially the new generation, aware.
He said that based on the conditions of the time in seeking knowledge, the idea arose in him that we as a nation should have recognition and identity, just as the Sindhis, Punjabis, Pashtuns, Balochs and other ethnic groups and communities have. Henceforth, we should have recognition, too. This same idea gave birth to the theory of Muhajir nationalism and on June 11, 1978, and the All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organisation (A.P.M.S.O) was formed. We did not intend to take anyone's right away; rather, our belief was that under the constitution of Pakistan, the same equal rights that other ethnic communities of the country enjoy should also be given to Muhajirs. However, instead of giving us our rights, we were subjected to fierce state operations, and at that time the military establishment attacked us through the Jamat-e Islami which is a civilian subsidiary of the military.
The Islamic Jamiat-e Talba which is a militant wing of the Jamat- e Islami unleashed terror and expelled us from educational institutions.We started spreading our message of the Muhajir movement in Karachi's nook and cranny. On March 18, 1984, we established the Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) and then we spread our message in other cities of Sindh, including Hyderabad and others.
On August 8, 1986, we held our first public meeting in Nishtar Park in Karachi, which clarified our stance against the military establishment and its plot against MQM. We were holding our second public meeting on October 31, 1986, in the fortress of Hyderabad when they attacked our rallies and martyred several activists. Afterward, government agencies formed extremist organisations such as the Punjabi-Pakhtun Ittehad to end our movement and suppress the rights of Muhajirs. He said he was arrested three times and subjected to various forms of torture to put an end to the movement and to remove him from the struggle for migrant rights, but he continued his struggle.He said he led the movement concerning the municipal elections of 1987 while in jail. MQM achieved historical success in the municipal elections in Karachi and Hyderabad, and MQM mayors and deputy mayors were elected in both cities. After this, MQM became Sindh's second-largest party and the country's third-largest party after successful elections in 1988 and 1990. The military establishment bought some of MQM's central leadership to break it apart. Earlier, the military used to make covert threats to eliminate MQM, but after making it real, the army went against MQM.
He said that when there were assassination attempts on him, he went to the UK on his colleagues' request and continued the movement here. In 1992, the military started an operation against MQM in the disguise of crushing 72 kingpins. it was a real frenzy of terrorism, murder, looting, and all types of crimes. After the failure of the actual operation, the military establishment once again bought some of MQM's people to create a new splinter group.
He said that the state's operation against MQM continued, but he kept the movement alive. However, the members of the Coordination Committee and most of the responsible individuals became involved in corruption, while the operation against the movement continued. Beyond the court's reach, hunger strikes were held at the Karachi Press Club in August 2016 against arbitrary detentions and killings, but on August 22, 2016, the army revamped the military operation and imposed sanctions on him.
He said that Dr Farooq Sattar and other members of the Coordination Committee and Assembly members formed MQM Pakistan under the military's plan and expelled him from the party's constitution. The traitors turned their backs on the sacrifices of the martyrs.
The treachery inflicted irreparable damage to the movement and the Muhajir nation, as they have weakened the power of the people. Despite the intimidation and state's oppression, the people still see him as their leader, he added.
He said that despite all the crooked maneuvers of the military establishment, his popularity continued to soar to the skies and people from all walks of life throughout the country are continuously joining him.
Hussain said that at the age of 70, people usually give up, but he won't and will keep fighting for his people's rights and movement's ideologies, even against the most tyrannical oppressors. Hussain admired his loyalists for their steadfastness and unshaken solidarity.