Steps under way to oust me from MQM: Altaf

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief, Altaf Hussain, on Monday said that hectic efforts were being made for a ‘Minus Altaf’ MQM and warned that there would be a war in every nook and corner of Karachi if any attempt was made for his removal as the party’s head.
Altaf Hussain asked his supporters and activists to get themselves ready for a sit-in that would be on a long-term basis and could be extended to six months or a year.Addressing party workers and the Rabita Committee members from London on phone on Monday, he strongly refuted all allegations that the MQM had any connections with the Indian spy agency RAW or that the party had received Indian funding as reported by the BBC.
Altaf Hussain swore by God and the holy Quran that neither he nor his party had any link with RAW.If Imran Khan can organise a sit-in for three months, the MQM would stage a sit-in for six months or more, he said. The loyalists present supported the idea and said that they were ready for the sit-in.
Altaf said, “RAW is anti-Pakistan, and an enemy of Pakistan is the enemy of the MQM. My party supports the armed forces and if RAW attacks Pakistan, all my supporters will be with the armed forces of Pakistan voluntarily and fight along with them against India.”
“Those who are the enemies of Pakistan are the enemies of the MQM,” he stressed.“Plans are afoot to disintegrate the MQM and a conspiracy is underway for a Minus-Altaf MQM. In that case, there would be blood on every street of the city,” he warned.
Elaborating his point, he said that he did not warn or threaten anyone but if he was removed, the people gathered here would stand divided. As these people were united under his leadership and the Minus-Altaf formula would divide them into factions, there would be a war in every nook and corner of the city and nobody could control that situation.
Certain forces wanted to eliminate the MQM but their plans would disturb the peace of the city, he said and added that there would be bloodshed in every street, something that could not be controlled.
He categorically swore, “I, Altaf Hussain, have no link with RAW and the statement of Tariq Mir is a media trial and a conspiracy is being hatched against the MQM. I strongly condemn on oath that the MQM has no connection with RAW. RAW is Pakistan’s enemy and the MQM is the RAW’s enemy.”
For the past many days, he said, the MQM was being targeted and was being alleged of every wrongdoing. Pemra had enforced a ban on his speeches and MQM activists were being portrayed as traitors having links with intelligence agencies like RAW, Mossad and CIA but he must clearly say that they were true Pakistanis.
“We are a political party and if any individual is found involved in any such activities, we can only expel them,” Altaf said. He questioned if there were not individuals in the army and the ISI who were involved in anti-state activities. “We can only expel our supporters if found involved wrongdoings. Even if my brother is involved in negative activities, he would be expelled,” he noted.
He claimed the MQM had zero tolerance for terrorists and criminals and that if the law-enforcement agency had any proof against any party worker, they must be produced in the court of law and the MQM would expel them.
He also invited the attention of DG Rangers Major General Bilal saying that he did not speak any word against him, only he was misinterpreted. He only asked him to take honest decisions and feel the pain of those families whose relatives were killed by the LEAs.
On the occasion, he also directed the Rabita Committee to monitor whether there was anyone in the party who had received training in India and if found, the party should be informed or it should be reported to the LEAs.
He also asked the assembled supporters that if they found any negative activities, they should feel free to inform him in case they had any reservations about the Rabita Committee.“The provinces in the country have been formed on ethnic and linguistic basis and we demand that the quota system should be abolished forthwith and merit should prevail in the institutions,” he said.
He said in many areas, the people had been cautioned and ‘Parchis’ distributed not to give Fitra and Zakat to the MQM. He alleged that during the by-elections in the NA 246 “the Rangers had forced the women and elderly people to stamp on bat.”
If the MQM had any militant wing within its party, the Rangers would have faced resistance when they raided the 90 and adjacent areas and arrested hundreds of party supporters, he said and asked the LEAs if they faced any confrontation. This was a clear proof that there was no militant wing in the MQM, whereas he referred to raids conducted by the Rangers in other parts of the city where many Rangers Jawans had died when they faced resistance.“I am not against negotiations with the angry Baloch but I fully support the government’s move,” he said but asked why the country’s third largest party was being pushed to the wall.