People would have to step forward for changing the age-old system and putting Pakistan on the path of progress
Estranged Baloch leaders will have to be engaged in dialogues and bitter pills swallowed for the survival and integrity of the country
News Reports
The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the MQM wants to transform Pakistan into a democratic, liberal, secular and progressive state after the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The MQM wants to develop a society in Pakistan where everyone has equal rights irrespective of their religious belief, language, race, gender, colour and sect and where life, property, and honour of an individual are safeguarded and government decisions are taken purely on merit. He said this while talking to a gathering of notables at the residence of MNA Khushbakht Shujaat.
Referring to the famous speech of the Quaid-i-Azam delivered to the Constituent Assembly on 11th August 1947, Mr Hussain said that the Quaid-i-Azam did not want Pakistan to be a theocratic state. He wanted Pakistan to be a liberal, secular and progressive state where the followers of every religion, faith, and sect were treated as citizens of equal status and they enjoyed equal rights.
He said that the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam was corrupted by a particular group; sectarianism was encouraged, and Shia and Sunni people were killed. Recently, people belonging to the Bohri community were targeted near Hyderi market area in which several people died and many sustained injuries. This was completely against the teachings of Islam and the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam.
He said that religious tolerance, sectarian harmony and inter-faith goodwill were essential elements of the MQM’s manifesto. If the country has an MQM’s prime minister, and the party gets a chance to serve for five years, it would at least make Pakistan a liberal and progressive country even if it could not make it like France.
The participants of the meeting supported the MQM’s policies on various issues and asked various questions. Answering the questions of the participants Mr Hussain shed light on policies of the MQM regarding religious and sectarian harmony, education, economy, health, energy crisis, local government system, law and order situation, community policing and other important issues.
Mr Hussain informed the audience about the welfare projects undertaken by the charitable organs of the MQM which includes building of educational institutions of high standard.
He regretted that we were still living in the Stone Age and hence anyone who believes in the survival of the country would have to step forward for changing the age-old system and putting the country on the path of progress and development.
He urged upon the students, in particular, to come forward and elect qualified and able people by adopting the peaceful method of voting. He said that the advent of the local government system would help in resolution of problems of people at their doorsteps. He said that some people wanted the old system of commissioners in order to subjugate people hence attempts were being made to mislead the people on the local government system.
He said that the MQM not only respected all ethnic entities and communities living in Karachi, but it also wanted equal rights for them. People from every nationality and community were being attracted towards the MQM in large numbers, and the MQM candidates would be returned successful even from Pakhtun dominated areas.
Keeping in view of the increasing number of protest demonstrations and rallies in Karachi and the problems being faced by the people, Mr Hussain demanded Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to select a particular place and ban such demonstrations and rallies in the rest of the city.
In response to a question Mr Hussain said that the Balochistan issue would not be resolved through artificial measures. Estranged Baloch leaders on mountains would have to be engaged in dialogues, and bitter pills would have to be swallowed for the integrity and survival of Pakistan.