MQM continues hunger strike for second day

MPA Mohammad Hussain passes out because of low sugar level

Karachi

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement continued their hunger strike for the second consecutive day outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday in protest against the media ban on party chief Altaf Hussain, as one of the participants, MPA Mohammad Hussain, a diabetic, passed out when his blood glucose level dropped and was administered first aid.

The number of the participants, who were on the first day around 50, rose to 300 and more party activists and supporter joined others at the hunger strike camp.

They described the media ban on the MQM chief as unconstitutional and undemocratic.

The hunger strike is being led by party lawmakers Abdul Rauf Siddiqui and Mohammad Hussain.

Amin-ul-Haque, the party’s media cell head, told The News that it was for the first time in the history of the country’s politics that such a large number of people were participating in a hunger strike, proving that the MQM chief’s followers still cherished him and wanted to listen to their leader.

On the hearing in the Lahore High Court scheduled on February 23 against the media ban on Hussain, Haque said the party would decide its future course of action in consultation with its coordination committee members depending on what the verdict would be.

 

Ban likely to be lifted

Political pundits said the MQM had been given some positive assurances and that was why its leaders were confident that the ban would be lifted.

MQM senior convener Amir Khan held a meeting with Karachi Press Club general secretary AH Khanzada and other office-bearers and urged them to ask journalists to express solidarity with the participants of the hunger strike.

Talking to reporters, Khan said the four-day symbolic hunger strike would register the people’s protest against the ban.

He added that it was strange that political leader had been deprived of his fundamental right to freedom of speech by a court.

“The media blackout is a sheer violation of the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Article-19 of the Constitution.”

He said the TV anchors were directed to not mention the name of the MQM chief.

Khan appealed to media outlets and human rights organisations to raise their voices against this discrimination.

The hunger strike will continue for the next two days.

A day before announcing the hunger strike, the MQM Coordination Committee had asked the people of Karachi to stock food at their homes for 15 days because something big was going to happen.

Dr Farooq Sattar, the party’s senior convener, led the first day’s activities and was accompanied by Senator Nasreen Jalil and party representatives elected from all districts of the city.

Sattar had said the workers would consider staging sit-ins after the four-day strike.

Haque said the protest was drawing support as delegations of the Bohra and business communities had visited the camp to express solidarity with the MQM’s stance over the blanket ban on the party chief’s speeches. 

Besides, he said, leaders and supporters of the MQM from Punjab, interior Sindh and Khyber Pakthunkhwa were also arriving in the city to support the protest drive. 

The Lahore High Court had imposed a ban on the media coverage of Hussain’s speeches about six months ago after he allegedly issued statements against state institutions and security forces. Sattar said the ban on the media coverage of Hussain’s speeches should be lifted in line with the Article 19 of the Constitution.