NA passes resolution against Altaf Hussain

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday passed a unanimous resolution strongly condemning the controversial and inflammatory remarks of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain in which he also attacked the very basis of Pakistan and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.

The resolution, moved by Minister for Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Birjees Tahir, said the House denounces the violent, criminal and terrorist activities and the anti-Pakistan slogans. It demanded that action should be initiated immediately against those who resorted to such acts.

“This House strongly condemns the anti-Pakistan slogans on August 22 as a result of MQM’s hunger strike at Karachi Press Club and controversial and inflammatory speech of Altaf Hussain from London,” the resolution said.

The House in its resolution also expressed solidarity with parliament, armed forces, judiciary, media and all other democratic institutions working under the Constitution. The MQM parliamentarians present in the National Assembly also supported the resolution.

At the same time, the MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said the accused (Altaf) should also be given the opportunity to clarify his position and his apology should also be considered. “By saying this, I am not defending anybody as the act committed on August 22 is not defendable,” he said.

Farooq Sattar said the MQM members supported the resolution moved by the government but he also wanted to move a resolution by his party.

Farooq Sattar said the party had disassociated itself from its founder following his controversial statement against the country. He said the party should not be pushed to the wall on the act of one individual, adding that the MQM is a pro-Pakistan party and had distanced itself from those who had raised slogans against the country.

“On August 22, he (Altaf) drew a line and we the MQM Pakistan have also drawn a line,” Farooq Sattar said, adding that their loyalty with Pakistan should not be doubted. He said the masses have rejected the anti-Pakistan slogans and now the question was acceptance of those raising the slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. He said there was now a need to embrace those who are chanting slogans of Long Live Pakistan.

Farooq Sattar also demanded solution of problems like water and end of quota system being faced by Karachi, the largest economic hub of the country.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch said the MQM chief had in fact never accepted Pakistan and his acts and statements are a clear proof of it. He said come what may nothing against Pakistan’s security and dignity will be tolerated. He welcomed the decision of the MQM to disassociate itself from Altaf.

However, he questioned as to whether the MQM Pakistan led by Farooq Sattar would also disown and disassociate itself from what had been happening prior to August 22, 2016. “You will also have to disassociate yourselves with history and past,” he said.

He recalled that in 1984, the MQM founder burnt the national flag in front of the Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi.Abdul Qadir Baloch advised the MQM leadership in Pakistan not to see activities of law enforcing agencies against outlaws in Karachi with biased eye.