MQM activists today rallied in support of their leader Altaf Hussain and against a Supreme Court order summoning him for contempt of court on January 7.
The Mutthaida Qaumi Movement held a rally outside the Karachi Press Club where senior MQM leaders were present and protesters held banners and posters denouncing the contempt of court case against their leader.
"The people today have given their mandate against this case against Altaf Hussain. And if speaking up for the rights of the people is a contempt of court than we will do it again," MQM senior leader, Farooq Sattar told the rally.
He also announced that everyone would go to the SC hearing on January 7.
"Hum Sab (everyone) will go for the hearing," he said.
The SC has summoned Altaf Hussain in the contempt of court case for allegedly making disparaging remarks about the judiciary while addressing a public rally from London recently.
Yesterday, although there was no announcement of any sort from the MQM or any other party, a complete shutdown was observed in Pakistan's biggest city which is the stronghold of the MQM that represents the Urdu-speaking population that migrated from India to Pakistan.
MQM remains the single largest party in Karachi and has dominated elections held in the city for years now.
Another senior MQM leader, Waseem Akhtar said on ARY channel that it appeared as if no one had learnt any lessons from the debacle of Dhaka on December 16 in 1971.
"Again the mandate of the people in Karachi is being bypassed and it appears we have learnt no lessons from the Dhaka fall," he said.
Akhtar also said that Altaf Hussain had written to the Chief Justice asking him to take action against the Lahore High Court judge who made disparaging remarks about the MQM's mandate in Karachi. "Instead of taking action the CJ issued a contempt of court notice to Altaf Hussain," he said. They are growing fears that a standoff between the MQM and judiciary could lead to problems in Karachi.
Hussain has remained in exile in London since 1992 but the SC has summoned him in person for the January 7 hearing. Yesterday during the complete shutdown several rallies were taken out in different parts of the city against the court order.