I do not oppose the military; I oppose a system that is unfair and harsh. Altaf Hussain.
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Posted on: 9/20/2026
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I do not oppose the military; I oppose a system that is unfair and harsh. Altaf Hussain.
#17SepBirthdayOfAltafHussain
I have never been opposed to individuals. My opposition is directed towards a system that is unfair and suppressive. I do not have a problem with the military. I think all nations require a military for protection, and Pakistan is no exception. However, the military is acting outside of its legal boundaries, with military personnel placed in different roles that should be occupied by civilians. The whole framework of the nation is being controlled by army leaders.
There is no true democracy in Pakistan; instead, it is controlled by the military, which holds significant power. In the UK, regular people are often unaware of who the army leader is, but here, even kids are familiar with the names and backgrounds of the army leader and other important military figures.
Army leaders take part in political matters as well. I do not oppose the military itself; I oppose their involvement in political activities. I stand against dishonest politicians, wealthy landowners, and untrustworthy army leaders. When I criticized the military and government agencies meddling in politics, people labeled me as someone against the army and a traitor to the nation. I faced backlash from Punjab, Kashmir, and the whole country.
In 1992, the Army Chief at that time, General Asif Nawaz, organized a military action aimed at the MQM.
To mislead the country, a list of 72 important targets was created. This list did not include Altaf Hussain, his siblings, or any leaders from his party, MQM. Instead, it featured Asif Zardari, close friends of Benazir Bhutto, the deceased Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, the late Pir Pagara, and other well-known landowners. The public was informed that a military action would take place in Sindh to target serious criminals, kidnappers demanding money, and the powerful people who supported them.
I had clearly communicated my worry that the mission would truly target the MQM. My worry turned out to be accurate, and on June 19, 1992, the military action aimed at the MQM began.
Throughout the mission, it was reported that thousands of MQM members were reportedly killed without legal process, and many others were said to have vanished. Numerous missing individuals have not been found in many years and continue to be unlocated today.
The remark made by ex-Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is documented, indicating that MQM members were murdered and laid to rest in the Margalla Hills of Islamabad.
While the operation was happening, the army would surround whole neighborhoods, force the young and old out of their houses, take off their shirts, and gather them in large open areas like groups of livestock. Throughout this time, it was claimed that women faced mistreatment inside their homes, similar to what occurred in East Pakistan.
When the campaign against the MQM was taking place and our members were being killed, people in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa celebrated and shouted praises for the Pakistan Army. After the events of May 9, when PTI supporters in Punjab began to be arrested, they claimed that their party was facing harsh treatment.
I believe that even a small fraction of what the MQM and the Muhajirs went through has not happened to PTI workers in Punjab. How many PTI leaders, party officials, and workers lost their lives? How many people went missing?
I aimed to transform the dishonest political system in Pakistan, and I still wish for improvements in the current way of governing. I want to free Pakistan from the powerful landowners and local rulers. I desire a system where every person has the same rights, no matter their faith or beliefs.
Altaf Hussain.
London. UK.
Public address on his 73rd birthday in London via TikTok on September 19, 2026.
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9/20/2026 4:43:00 PM
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