Altaf Hussain's press Conference

LONDON: MQM chief Altaf Hussain on Friday kept the entire country on edge for hours as he addressed his workers and journalists from London, complaining about conspiracies to eliminate him and breaking up Pakistan but repeatedly offered the services of his party to the Pakistan Army and ISI to help save the country.

In a countrywide televised press conference, the MQM leader accused the PML-N of Nawaz Sharif of having large arsenals of weapons. In the three-and-a-half hours of a live TV presser, he asked the Army and ISI to see the videos of his supporters beheaded in Karachi and defended the MQM’s role in the events of May 12, 2007. Showing the people a number of newspaper articles, maps and parts of a book, Altaf Hussain tried to establish that a big international conspiracy was afoot to break up Pakistan and claimed that the MQM was part of stopping this conspiracy.

“We are the biggest obstacle in this conspiracy and are being eliminated,” he claimed. The MQM leader refused to respond to the charges of PPP leader Zulfiqar Mirza, saying he would not answer any of his allegations. However, he several times raised a copy of the Holy Quran and quoted verses from it to prove his point.

He said he feared for his life and might be eliminated and had called some MQM leaders to London to make his will. He declined to name a successor, saying his party was not a feudal party and he had laid down guidelines for the party to elect its leader. He said he was under serious threat from elements at home and abroad, who were conspiring to dismember Pakistan.

These forces at home and abroad, said Altaf Hussain, were against him just because he was the biggest obstacle in their designs against Pakistan and sought him out as a threat against their designs.

This is the first time the MQM leader has taken a strict view against western powers and openly offered his staunch support and loyal workforce in the service of Pakistan’s security forces. This was Altaf Hussain’s live video speech after a long time, especially after a lot of speculations that captivated the imagination of Pakistan, but which ultimately turned out to be unfounded as proved by the MQM leader’s live appearance.

The News met Altaf Hussain exclusively for over an hour after the conference and he looked jovial, in good health, joked with his Rabita Committee colleagues and shared light chatter with them in a cordial atmosphere.

During the press conference, Altaf Hussain chose not to answer any questions on the childhood mate and ally of President Asif Ali Zardari who has taken upon it upon himself to bash the MQM at every opportunity these days: Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. He referred to the Holy Quran during his speech but it was not in reference to any revelation and said that the Holy Book was only for reading and for acting upon and not for any other purposes.

The News asked him if Mirza was part of the ‘grand conspiracy’ against him in which actors from within and outside of Pakistan were involved. The MQM leader said that he would not engage in any subject relating to Mirza and his ‘wild allegations’.

Altaf Hussain said the MQM was not against anyone on ethnic and linguistic bases and didn’t have anything against the inhabitants of Karachi, particularly Pakhtus. However, t he singled out the Awami National Party (ANP) and attacked it with full force. Paying tribute to the founders of ANP Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Wali Khan, he called the current leadership mercenaries who were part of the plot against Pakistan.

In detail, Altaf Hussain, went through various articles and books written mainly by authors linked with various US think tanks and organisations writing so-called research papers about the ‘anarchy’ in Pakistan and also the Balkanisation of Pakistan on ethnic lines. Altaf Hussain emphasised that he wanted to share the anti-Pakistan information with the nation to take the nation into confidence over what conspiracies were out there against Pakistan and how serious and actual the threat was. He said he was called names and the enemy of Pakistan, but it was sad that nobody actually dared talk about the ‘real enemies’ of Pakistan and stressed that MQM was a patriotic party and not under the influence of any agency or power.

He started his speech with the mention of target killings in Karachi directed at the Urdu-speaking population and how they were brunt alive in many cases but asked the chief justice to pay attention to the target killings of MQM activists as well as the murder of hundreds of MQM workers over many years. Altaf Hussain took on the People’s Aman Committee as well and accused it of ruthlessly killing Urdu-speaking people, including mentioning the name of one of its leaders who is London based and banded him amongst those people who are part of the conspiracy against Pakistan and its integrity.

Altaf called himself a brave leader who didn’t cower before international forces but said other leaders including Nawaz Sharif did not have the muscle to stand up against major powers.

Agencies add: Altaf Hussain said if MQM, ISI and army joined hands, ‘we can even defeat super powers’. He said if the Supreme Court’s verdict went against the MQM, there might be a reaction. He said: “If I allow my workers to take matters in their hands, they may raise whatever demands they deem fit”.

Altaf Hussain said in secret maps half of Pakistan including Punjab was part of Afghanistan, adding agents of forces plotting to break up Pakistan were also present in Pakistan. He said he had given guidelines to appoint his predecessor on the basis of courage and capability.



JI has Thunder Squad, fomented May 12 violence

KARACHI: MQM chief Altaf Hussain said on Friday that on the eve of the May 12, 2007 mayhem in Karachi, a meeting had been held in the house of JI Karachi leader Muhammad Hussain Mehanti in which ‘people of Haqiqi’ were invited. Addressing the video press conference, he said the Haqiqi members were given money and party flags of MQM, and they joined the rally of MQM on May 12, 2007. He also accused the JI of running an underground group naming ‘Thunder Squad’.



Media giving ‘undue’ coverage to MQM opponents

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said the media was promoting hooliganism and giving ‘undue’ coverage to the opponents of his party. Addressing a video press conference, he said a number of workers of his party had been targeted in Karachi and many of them had been subjected to torture before being murdered. He said his party workers had been ruthlessly killed.



Nawaz withdrew forces from

Kargil under US pressure

KARACHI: MQM chief Altaf Hussain said former Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif had withdrawn forces from Kargil after being told to do so by the United States. He said the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had both failed to implement the Charter of Democracy signed between the two political parties. The MQM chief called the Charter of Democracy a document of false promises.



Altaf sings Asha Bhosle song

By Sabir Shah

LAHORE: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain rhythmically sang the preliminary lyrics of an Asha Bhosle song that was pictured on actress Asha Parekh in the famous 1968 Bollywood box-office hit ‘Shikar.’ During his shocking press conference, Altaf Hussain touched a wide range of subjects. Altaf also cited eminent American journalist Robert Kaplan’s article ‘The coming anarchy,’ that was published in a widely subscribed 154-year old US magazine, ‘The Atlantic Monthly’ in February 1994.



US gave Wali millions of dollars to win polls

KARACHI: MQM chief Altaf Hussain said on Friday that the United States gave Asfandyar Wali Khan millions of dollars to ensure the success of the ANP in the 2008 general polls. Addressing a video press conference, he said he had no documentary proofs in this regard. “My party is not against the Pashtu speaking people,” he said, alleging ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed, on the order of Asfandyar Wali, had ordered the ANP activists to open direct firing on their opponents on May 12, 2007.