‘PPP reaction to separate province demand reflects its feudal mindset’

Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmed said on Friday that if PIB Colony and Bahadurabad groups of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) reunite only then will he consider the invitation for a joint protest against remarks made by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, regarding the demands for a separate province.

Speaking at a news conference at his residence in Defence Housing Authority on Thursday, Ahmed said that essentially Shah is criticising Zulfikar Ali Bhutto since “he began discrimination between rural and urban Sindh” and, in 1972, started the quota system.

CM Shah in his recent speech in the Sindh Assembly said that he cursed those who demand a new province for Mohajirs. Ahmed called the statement an expression of hatred and contrary to democratic norms. He also condemned a similar statement of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Khursheed Shah, who represents the opposition in the National Assembly.

The MQM-H chief warned that Mohajirs need to be respected otherwise he would not be able to control his party workers. He said that the reaction from PPP reflected its feudal mindset that never accepted the rights demanded by people from the middle class and oppressed segments of society.

“It is the need of the hour that the urban population of Sindh should have their own province because they cannot get their rights through the assembly which is housed by feudal lords,” he said, adding that the demand stems from the divide that Bhutto created.

Ahmed said that the reaction from PPP and others is incomprehensible whenever there is a mention of the division of Sindh or the construction of Kala Bagh Dam. He said the PPP’s response is an attempt to gain votes in rural parts of the province by sowing hatred against the urban population.

“They [PPP] never ask for votes [from Sindhis] on their performance but [use hatred] against Mohajirs,” he said, adding that such an atmosphere is always created before elections. On the MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar’s invitation, Ahmed said that he was willing to work with whoever was sincere with the Mohajirs.