PPP demands UK govt to take action against Altaf

KARACHI: The Pakistan People's Party has called upon the British government to take cognizance of the hateful speech of MQM leader Altaf Hussain (being a British citizen), which incited the people to violence in the city on Monday.

A joint statement issued by the provincial coordination committee of the PPP on Tuesday strongly condemned the hateful speech made by the MQM chief against the country and the national institutions and also attacks on media houses in the aftermath of the speech.

The coordination committee members said the Pakistan People's Party could not tolerate any sort of propaganda and hateful speeches delivered against the country as every activist of the PPP would play its due part as the frontline soldier to safeguard the country.

They said the PPP had always raised slogans for unity and Pakistan despite that the party in the past had to face testing times on several occasions.

They said that the PPP would be at the forefront of the struggle for the solidarity and integrity of the country as all conspiracies against the country and the province would be effectively foiled. He said the anti-Pakistan statements were being issued deliberately to cause instability in the country and province.

They said that no expediency could be shown on the issue of  restoration of law and order situation as action on indiscriminate lines should be taken against the people interfering in the peaceful environment as such action should not be taken on the basis of someone’s language.

He said the Urdu speaking community of the country had been equally offended due to the hateful speech of Altaf Hussain as this controversial speech should not be considered as reflective of the sentiments of this entire community living in the province and other parts of the country. They said that Urdu speaking community was fully part of the province and the country as members of this community had rendered sacrifices for the survival of the nation.

Members of the PPP’s Sindh Coordination Committee Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Nafeesa Shah and Rashid Rabbani condemned the Monday's attack on media houses in the city, saying that such attacks were meant to cause damage to the concept of the freedom of expression and journalism.

They said the PPP’s Sindh government would ensure security at every cost at the offices of media houses.