1992 operation led to break-away faction within MQM

LAHORE: The last time the Rangers had launched an operation clean-up (also known with its codename “Operation Blue Fox”) against the MQM on June 19, 1992 during current Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif’s first tenure, a break-away faction within Altaf Hussain’s political entity had immediately surfaced.
Altaf’s key confidants Amir Khan, Afaq Ahmed, Bader Iqbal and Mansoor Chacha etc had gone on to form the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi, which had written a sorry history of violence and armed hostilities with its parent group.
The MQM-Haqiqi, according to former Inspector General Punjab Police Sardar Muhammad Chaudhry’s book “The ultimate crime: Eyewitness to power games,” had the backing of the Pakistani establishment of the time.
The late Sardar Muhammad Chaudhry had stated in his above-cited book that all the MQM stalwarts, who had parted ways with Altaf Hussain, were first arrested in Lahore by his officers, but were later released on orders of high-ups, including the then Premier Nawaz Sharif!
The word “Haqiqi” (real) was dropped when Altaf Hussain changed his party’s name from Mohajir Qaumi Movement to Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
The Mohajir Qaumi Movement, primarily led by Afaq and Amir, used to control many districts of Karachi including Landhi, Korangi, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Lines Area, Liaquatabad No. 4, New Karachi Lal Market and parts of Orangi town etc.
Together with Afaq, Amir used to control MQM-Haqiqi affairs from his residence at Liaquatabad Peeli Kothi (Yellow House), which was a house painted in and was dubbed MQM-Haqiqi’s mini-headquarters or second key office.
But after the 2002 general elections in the country, Altaf’s MQM had joined General Musharraf government and a crackdown began against the MQM-Haqiqi had led to the imprisonment of both Amir and Afaq.
Afaq Ahmed was apprehended in 2004 and was accused of quite a few murders, but after almost eight years of imprisonment, the court could not find him guilty of any charges.On December 17, 2011, the Sindh High Court had ruled that Afaq Ahmed’s imprisonment under the “Maintenance of Public Order” provisions was illegal and had ordered him to be set free.
Amir Khan was also arrested in April 2004.On May 25, 2011, two days after he was released from jail when his life term was revoked by the Sindh High Court, Amir Khan had rejoined Altaf Hussain.
He had tendered a written apology and was consequently pardoned by Altaf Hussain and the families of those MQM members who were killed in clashes with the MQM-Haqiqi.The announcement in this context was made by none other than Altaf Hussain when he had addressed his party members, workers and the bereaved families at Lal Qila Ground.
According to a Karachi Urdu daily, the deal was finalised during Amir’s temporary release from jail to attend his nephew’s Chehlum. The newspaper had revealed that Amir Khan had met MQM leaders Babar Ghauri, Farooq Sattar, Iqbal Haroon and others in Malir.
It is the same Amir Khan who was taken into custody by Pakistan Rangers on the morning of March 11 (yesterday) after MQM’s Nine Zero Azizabad (Federal B Area Block- 8, Karachi) Headquarters was raided.
By the way, the currently sealed Khursheed Bagum Hall at MQM’s Azizabad Headquarters was named after Altaf Hussain’s late mother, who had expired on December 5, 1985.
After migrating to Pakistan from “Nai Ki Mandi” locality of Agra (India), Altaf Hussain’s family was provided government housing in Karachi’s Abyssinia Lines that was especially reserved for the Muhajirs.
The 61-year old Altaf Hussain’s elder brother Nasir Hussain (murdered in December 1995 along with his 27-year old son Arif Hussain) was later employed by the government and given a small residential quarter (apartment) at Karachi’s Jehangir Road.
The family had subsequently left their government-allotted Abyssinia Lines residence and had moved in with Nasir Hussain. The family had changed residence again in the 1970s to a small house situated at 90- Azizabad.
But this relocation had probably occurred after the demise of Altaf Hussain’s father Nazeer Hussain, who had breathed his last on March 13, 1967.