Altaf Claims Pakistan Still Under Foreign Influence, Calls for True Democracy
LONDON. [UK]., April 6: Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain, in his 237th address broadcast on TikTok, launched a scathing critique of the Pakistani establishment, asserting that despite being an independent nation on paper, Pakistan continues to remain under foreign influence and internal authoritarian control.
In his speech, Hussain argued that the country’s major decisions are still orchestrated by foreign powers, undermining its sovereignty. He pointed to the post-independence fate of several freedom fighters, particularly from Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who were labeled traitors despite their struggle against British colonialism. He claimed that in contrast, Punjabi elites cooperated with colonial authorities and were rewarded with vast landholdings.
Hussain reiterated a long-standing conspiracy theory that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was slowly poisoned and assassinated, and that his close aide and Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, was also murdered. He further accused the establishment of undermining Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, describing her as a victim of election rigging, defamation, and eventual murder for challenging General Ayub Khan’s dictatorship.
Speaking on current affairs, Hussain criticized the ongoing suppression of political dissent and human rights in Balochistan. He condemned the use of state force against protestors, especially the recent arrests of women activists like Mah Rang Baloch. He also condemned the violent response to Balochistan National Party leader Akhtar Mengal's long march, claiming that trenches were dug on roads and arrests were made to halt the movement.
“The blood of Baloch leaders — from Nawab Nauroz Khan to Akbar Bugti — has been shed, and today, Balochistan still cries for its rights,” said Hussain, accusing the state of having no regard for Baloch lives.
He lamented that the unrest in provinces like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fails to evoke concern from other regions, reflecting a deep national disconnect. Meanwhile, he accused corrupt political elites of looting the country for decades while being shielded by legal impunity.
Hussain also targeted mainstream media, alleging that senior journalists and anchors have become mouthpieces for the ruling elite by ignoring ground realities and focusing instead on maligning MQM. He revisited historical grievances against the Muhajir community, highlighting attacks during the regimes of General Ayub Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — long before MQM’s inception.
“Since I started speaking the truth in 2015, my speeches, my statements—even my name—have been banned from broadcast,” he said. “My home and the MQM headquarters, Nine Zero, were not only sealed but set on fire and bulldozed.”
Concluding his speech, Hussain called on the people of Pakistan to rise peacefully against what he described as authoritarian rule. He urged citizens to demand genuine democracy, land reforms, and constitutional rights for all nationalities and ethnic groups within the country.
“The time has come to put an end to this feudal system and establish a governance model where no one’s voice is silenced,” he declared.