Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar on Thursday denied Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Mustafa Kamal's allegations that MQM workers had observed a "black day" on the 70th anniversary of Pakistan's independence .
Kamal, in a press conference earlier the same day, had brought attention to a video circulating on social media which showed masked men burning Pakistani flags.
Kamal had alleged that the men were acting on instructions from MQM founder Altaf Hussain. Kamal had further said that Hussain had issued an audio message through his website ordering loyalists to burn flags, share videos and pictures of them doing so on social media and also send them to the party's London Secretariat.
He accused Hussain of spreading propaganda against the state, adding that the flag-burning videos were broadcast on India's news channel.
"Farooq Sattar's leader [Hussain], who calls himself the founder of the party [the MQM], told his supporters to observe a black day and burn flags on [Independence] day," Kamal said, implying that the men shown in the video included members of MQM-P.
The Sattar-led MQM-P maintains it distanced itself from its London-based leadership last year following a vitriolic speech by Hussain against the Pakistani state.
Responding to Kamal's accusations, Sattar, in his press conference, dismissed the notion that the men burning flags were members of the mohajir (migrant) community, which the MQM claims to represent.
"A few Pakistanis were incited to commit this deed," Sattar conceded, but "Our [MQM-P's] patriotism has not been affected by anyone else."
He also stated that those who burned flags were acting on orders received by MQM-L, and that the mohajir community not only condemned this ideology, but had also rejected it by boycotting "the battle cry from London".
Sattar was of the view that by celebrating Pakistan's 70th anniversary, the Urdu-speaking community had shown that those who helped create Pakistan are still loyal to their country.
"The mohajir community has proven that nothing can beat their patriotism," Sattar claimed.
"We stand with all the ethnicities of Pakistan, be it Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtun, Balochis, Hazaras and Gilgitis and we are sure that they stand with us," he said.
Sattar recalled that MQM-P workers had celebrated Pakistan's Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at "every MQM unit ─ not just in Karachi, but throughout the country".
He called for those who burned the Pakistani flag on Aug 14 to reveal their identities instead of hiding behind masks.
Kamal, too, had said that the mohajir community had rejected the MQM founder's hate-filled ideology because of the disclosures he — Kamal — had made about Hussain upon the former's return to Pakistan.
"Altaf Hussain tried to associate the Urdu-speaking population with his ideology," Kamal said. "But today I am proud that the Urdu-speaking community has refused to affiliate itself with the MQM founder and do not follow him anymore. People are now aware of his reality."
KARACHI: Former mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal in a dramatic return to the city revealed for the first time his reasons behind his controversial exit from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and criticised the party’s chief Altaf Hussain for "deception" and what he called his poor running of one of Karachi’s strongest political parties.
also announced the formation of a new political party, which he said is yet to be named. He raised a Pakistani flag and said it is the official emblem of his newly launched organisation.
"Today we are laying the foundation of an organisation, you may call it a party. We are just two individuals, myself and Anees Qaimkhani."
Midway during the speech, Kamal broke down into tears while addressing the press conference, as he went on to make major revelations about the internal workings of the party and what he called the cult of personality made around Altaf Hussain.
"Every time the MQM joined the government, its position deteriorated," Kamal stated.
"But Altaf sahab and the MQM instead of apologising, began verbally attacking PTI women activists at Teen Talwar,” he said, adding that despite poor governance, the MQM was able to bag two more seats between 2008 and 2013.
"I thought the PTI stealing almost a million votes from MQM's strongholds will make the party rethink its ways," added Kamal, shaking his head.
Referring to the MQM supremo as “Altaf sahib” as compared to his earlier reverential use of “Altaf Bhai", he said Hussain was often intoxicated while addressing workers, and that his state worsened over time.
'Altaf was intoxicated'
"Altaf gathered his workers and was intoxicated, when he addressed his supporters at 90 after the PTI achieved success during the 2013 elections," said Kamal.
Kamal said despite repeated requests, Altaf Hussain did not pay heed to the advice given by party leaders.
Kamal added that Altaf was intoxicated when addressing the entire Rabita Committee. He went on to state that people have sacrificed their lives and generations for Altaf Hussain, while "we [Rabita Committee members] used to take responsibility for all his mistakes and actions."
'We tried our best to save Altaf'
"We tried our best to keep Altaf Hussain from being exposed. Initially, he used to be out of his senses at night due to excessive drinking. But now he stays intoxicated for days and weeks," stated Kamal while shedding light on current state of party affairs.
"We staged a protest outside the Sindh election commission after elections just to cool down Altaf's temper."
Kamal went on to say, "He used words such as "thok dou" (kill them) for PTI workers and it became the Rabita Committee's job to explain and justify his statements in front of the entire world," said Kamal.
Referring to the many resignations presented by the MQM supremo, Kamal said even the media doesn't remember how many times Altaf Hussain has resigned as party chief.
"We sacrificed for Altaf, and did not distinguish between right and wrong, but Altaf does not care about his workers. Party workers' deaths are used by him for political point scoring only."
Referring to the loyalty of the party's supporters, Kamal said, "Ever since this party came into being, people have lost their lives for the party's cause, we fought the establishment and the entire world just to save Altaf Hussain."
Talking about the current state of affairs within MQM, Kamal stated, "Look at the raids, the arrests, and the ignorance of the people, we accept that sacrifices have to be made for a cause, but what are these sacrifices for? Tell me, and I will make them too."
He further stated that he tried to reverse the trend that was prevalent within the party for five years, but left when he grew frustrated with the lack of progress.
'Indian setup'
"When I was leaving the party I knew my life would be in danger," said Kamal, adding, "We knew we will be killed."
He went on to say, "I knew I could not live in Pakistan. I knew Altaf's Hussain's boys from the Indian and South African setup will be active."
Talking about frequent allegations of Altaf's links with the Indian intelligence agency (RAW), Kamal stated, "Everyone knows Altaf Hussain has links with RAW."
"After Imran Farooq was murdered in 2010, Scotland Yard found documents from his (Farooq's) house, and started summoning the MQM leadership (present in London) for interviews, including Altaf Hussain, who was grilled by British law enforcement for three consecutive days," elaborated Kamal.
"They asked them (Altaf, Anwar, Tariq Mir) if they had links to India's spy agency, which was refused initially, but the Scotland Yard produced documents after which the MQM leaders, including Altaf, confessed to getting support from RAW."
Kamal was addressing the press conference with Anees Qaimkhani.
The announcement corroborates speculations that there was a rift between Kamal and MQM supremo Altaf Hussain, a rumour that was earlier not confirmed by either the party or Kamal.
"MQM's top hierarchy was called to Dubai and the incumbent interior minister (Rehman Malik) was also present. The leadership was briefed about what the Scotland Yard had asked them and how they had responded."
"All senior MQM leaders are aware that MQM has been taking funds from India's RAW for 20 years," Kamal said while elaborating further on the alleged links between MQM's chief and RAW.
'Pushed against the wall'
Kamal, while explaining the mindset of the average MQM worker, said: "In the ensuing situation, party activists and workers on the street are of the opinion that the establishment and security agencies are targeting and attacking MQM and its workers."
"The workers are unaware of the true situation. Altaf should come clean and tell the workers why he has been receiving funds from India's spy agency."
"The purpose of our return is to make Altaf Hussain speak the truth," added an emotional Kamal.
"Children from respected families have turned into agents and criminals, working against the state of Pakistan."
He asked the media personnel present: "Was Saulat Mirza born a murderer?"
"Did Saulat have a personal rift with Shahid Hamid (KESC MD)?" he asked. "Who turned Saulat Mirza into a murderer?"
'Do not hate the Mohajir community'
"The entire Mohajir community, and Pakistan thinks we are RAW agents," said Kamal.
He went on to say that "no one is born a RAW-trained gunman," but is made into one.
"Thousands have made sacrifices to secure a dozen individuals including Altaf Hussain and his aides."
"Please do not hate the entire Urdu-speaking community due to actions of Altaf Hussain," appealed Kamal to the viewers.
He further added that the Mohajir community of Pakistan is full of patriots who would lay down there lives for Pakistan if need be.
"A Mohajir is not any less a patriot when compared to the other ethnicities of Pakistan."
Kamal returns
Earlier today, former mayor of Mustafa Kamal returned to Karachi after a prolonged absence from the political scene, alongside close aide and former party co-worker Anees Qaimkhani.
Kamal had told DawnNews that the conference will address political matters.
The former mayor belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) before he suddenly left the country in Aug 2013. The statement announcing his press conference had not made any mention of the MQM, with the press conference held at a private residence address in DHA Phase V as the venue.
After his departure, the MQM asked him to quit his senate seat.
The former Karachi nazim, who was elected to the upper house of parliament in 2011, was reportedly working for a construction company in Dubai, and remained in touch with some senior MQM leaders.
In an interview with Herald, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader had hinted at the reason behind Kamal's exit. “The moment Altaf Hussain feared that Mustafa Kamal will surpass him in popularity, he had him sidelined. That is not how political parties work.”
However, a statement issued by the MQM's Central Coordination (Rabita) Committee in Dec 2013 had said that Mr Kamal had gone abroad because of ‘personal and family problems’ and he had formally informed the party leadership before his departure.
The statement also described all news reports about Kamal having developed differences with the party as ‘baseless and fabricated’ and said that he had sent his resignation to the party leadership in the first week of November 2013 citing personal problems as the reason.
The MQM has maintained silence over Kamal's departure from the party. In an interview with Geo last year, MQM supremo Altaf Hussain remained diplomatic when asked about his ties with the former mayor.
Anees Qaimkhani's name had recently surfaced in a joint investigation team report into the Baldia factory fire case that claimed the lives of 259 workers and caused injuries to 50 labourers in Karachi in 2012.
MQM reacts
MQM MNA Ali Raza Abidi on Twitter said Kamal's return was "the last and final card by Chaudhry Nisar", apparently hinting at a greater game behind the former mayor's return.
The party recently cried foul and alleged there is a conspiracy in place to malign the MQM after the Federal Investigation Agency registered a case against Altaf Hussain and other party leaders in the murder of former MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq.
MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, reacting to the development last year, questioned the ‘timing’ of the case, terming it "an attempt to malign the MQM".
A popular mayor
Kamal is often remembered for being a leader who took initiative during his time as mayor.
American magazine foriegn policy, had counted kamal as one of the best mayors in the world.
The magazine described the mayor of Karachi as an unlikely poster child for innovative urban planning.
It said the 36-year-old Mustafa Kamal governs a city thats more often in the news for religious violence than cosmopolitan ways. But the hard-charging Kamal is looking to change all that. Hes courting foreign investment, encouraging international ties, and boosting the citys tourism.
According to the US magazine, Kamal is not shy about his goals. He has said he wants to turn Karachi into the next Dubai. His Green Karachi project aims to plant thousands of trees in the city. Kamal is not letting anything stand in the way of his grand plans. He has threatened to arrest anyone who tries to cut down the new saplings, it added.
In a statement, the Nazim said that in the past there was no concept of ownership in Karachi. He said his administration carried out development works on a large scale, but added that lot of work still remains to be done.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) denied on Sunday that its London-based chief Altaf Hussain had talked about seeking “help from India, Nato and the United Nations” in his speech at a party programme held in the United States on Saturday.
The MQM coordination committee held a late-night press conference in response to widespread criticism of Mr Hussain’s latest remarks.
Party leader Dr Farooq Sattar said Mr Hussain’s speech was within the parameters of the Constitution of Pakistan.
“The MQM and Altaf Hussain are inseparable,” he declared. “He is struggling for the rights of Mohajirs and [was] speaking on behalf of 50 million Mohajirs.”
In response to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s remarks that Mr Hussain was giving controversial statements because of cases against him in London, Dr Sattar said they had been pending for five years. “Has Altaf Bhai been speaking like this for the past five years?” he asked.
He said Altaf Hussain had held pro-military rallies in Karachi, but the ongoing targeted operation in the city had been turned against the MQM.
He claimed that scores of MQM workers had been ‘missing’, dozens had been killed in an extrajudicial manner and hundreds detained without charges.
“No-one is listening to us... What should we do if we don’t get justice,” he said, adding that the MQM had demanded a judicial commission on the issue but it had not been set up.
“Is this an unjust demand?” he asked.
He said: “We should be told who will ensure an impartial investigation into enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of our workers.”
The MQM committee also criticised statements of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti about Mr Hussain’s speech and said he had spoken only the truth.
The committee asked why the chief minister had remained tight-lipped when Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued an allegedly provocative statement against the armed forces.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has submitted a letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, claiming excesses committed by the para-military Rangers in their ongoing security operation in Karachi.
The letter was submitted yesterday by MQM's International Secretariat, and was undersigned by the party's Head of International Relations.
The party in its letter sent to the UN, alleges that their workers are being mistreated during the current security operation being conducted in Karachi, and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are unlawfully detaining their activists.
The letter specifically mentions the raid conducted on MQM's headquarters on the night of July 17, and the subsequent arrest of Qamar Mansoor, a member of the party's Rabita Committee.
MQM has further elaborated in their letter that the court had allowed Mansoor to get treatment in a private hospital, after an application was submitted in this regard.
Although the court had allowed treatment in the case, Rangers later denied it citing security reasons. The para-military force had earlier claimed during a court hearing that treatment was being provided to Mansoor in his special cell.
12 MQM activists declared proclaimed absconders
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday declared 12 activists of MQM as proclaimed absconders in the murder case of Jail Superintendent Amanullah Niazi.
The development comes after Ubaid alias K2 identified the 12 activists as those involved in the murder during a hearing at ATC.
Those accused in the case include Nouman alias Nomi. Sajid and Muzammil.
Niazi was murdered in 2005 along with his companions.
Qamar Mansoor and Rabita Committee in-charge Kaiful Warah were detained by the Rangers in a pre-dawn raid on the party's Nine-Zero headquarters earlier this month.
The two were apprehended for "arranging and facilitating" what Director-General Sindh Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar called "hate speeches against peace of Karachi”.
Rangers informed an antiterrorism court on Wednesday about the 90-day preventive detention of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Qamar Mansoor for questioning.
On July 17, the paramilitary force raided the MQM’s Nine Zero headquarters and picked up Mr Mansor, a member of the party’s coordination committee.
On Wednesday, Rangers soldiers along with their legal team brought the MQM leader to the ATC-II amid tight security.
Two Rangers men helped Mr Mansoor alight from an armoured-personnel carrier. He was seen limping and the two Rangers men also helped him walk up to the courtroom.
The Rangers’ law officers informed the ATC judge through an application that the suspect was detained upon “receiving credible information about his involvement in targeted killing, extortion and other offences” punishable under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.
Therefore, they said that the detainee was placed under preventive detention for three months under Section 11EEEE (1) of the ATA for inquiry and his production along with copies of notifications, detention order and the jail warrant was made in compliance with Section 11EEEE (3) of the ATA for information and record of the court.
The judge asked the suspect about his health condition. Mr Mansoor informed the judge that he had been suffering from kidney and backbone problems for the past 16 years, but his condition was worsening during the detention.
He complained of displacement of the spinal cord and blood in urine.
A Rangers’ law officer intervened and said that medical treatment was being provided to the detainee.
However, the MQM leader requested the court that he wished to be treated at two private hospitals as doctors there had the record of his ailments.
Advocate Mohammad Jiwani of the MQM’s legal wing opposed the three-month preventive detention.
Referring to a number of cases registered against the MQM chief and other party leaders regarding alleged hate speech against the armed forces, he submitted that his client was framed in many cases and he should be remanded in police custody.
He also argued that keeping in view the condition of the detainee, he might be sent to hospital instead of jail.
However, the judge expressed displeasure and replied that if he knew about the cases against him, why he did not appear in court to surrender himself.
The judge said that unless medical reports were placed in court no such order could be passed.
After examining the documents submitted by both sides, the judge directed the Rangers officials for the detainee’s medical examination and asked them to submit a report till July 27.
The Rangers picked up Mr Mansoor along with the in charge of the MQM coordination committee Kaif-ul-Wara for allegedly facilitating hate speeches against peace in Karachi. Later, Kaif-ul-Wara was released on a personal surety.
Earlier, the Rangers produced Mr Mansoor before a judicial magistrate (central), performing special duty during the gazetted holidays, on July 19 and obtained his three-day transit remand since the ATCs were closed for the Eid holidays.
A judicial magistrate has sent Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Rabita Committee's Qamar Mansoor, who was detained during a Friday raid on Nine Zero, on a three-day-long transit remand in Rangers' custody.
Judicial magistrate district central on special duty remanded Mansoor on Sunday in response to the Rangers' request until courts re-open after gazetted Eid holidays.
The Rangers had to present Mansoor before the judicial magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest to justify his detention. The magistrate handed Mansoor to the Rangers and directed them to produce the MQM activist before Anti-Terrorism Court II after Eid in connection with preventive detention.
Mansoor and Rabita Committee in-charge Kaiful Warah were detained by the paramilitary force in a pre-dawn raid on the party's Nine-Zero headquarters in the early hours of Friday.
Warah was later granted a 'conditional release' as long as he "reported to the Rangers authorities after the culmination of given period", a Rangers spokesman said.
The two were apprehended for "arranging and facilitating" what Director-General Sindh Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar called "hate speeches against peace of Karachi”.
Friday's was the second raid by Rangers on Nine Zero this year.
Also on Sunday, party chief Altaf Hussain issued a statement saying he had decided to go on a hunger strike unto death in protest of what he called victimisation of MQM workers and their detention by security forces. He said he would commence the hunger strike after getting a nod from the London administration.
Late on Sunday night however, MQM's Rabita Committee appealed to Hussain to take back his decision on starting the hunger strike.
A Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L) activist declared dead by the party and his family was presented alive at a Rangers press conference on Thursday to 'expose the MQM-L's anti-state propaganda'.
Pakistan Rangers Sindh Spokesperson Maj Qambar Raza, speaking at the press conference at Rangers Headquarters in Karachi, said that the MQM-L on Aug 7 issued a press release accusing the paramilitary force of kidnapping, torturing and killing the worker.
Maj Raza said that Mohammed Yusuf, alias Thelewala, of MQM-L Unit 125 in Qasbah Aligarh was, according to the party, kidnapped allegedly by the Rangers on July 17. Subsequently, Yusuf's body was allegedly found mutilated in Orangi Town's Hawa Goth the same day, according to the party.
The party alleged that Rangers personnel had tortured, extra-judicially killed, and later dumped Yusuf's body there. According to an MQM-L press release, the Edhi centre buried his body on July 30 after it remained unclaimed, and the family had later identified him via a picture.
Maj Raza said: "The truth is that the law enforcers had conducted a raid on a construction firm in Gulshan-i-Zia of Orangi Town on July 17 for Mohammed Yusuf's arrest but he was not there."
He added that Yusuf had gone into hiding for fear of arrest and had not been in contact with anyone.
"The MQM-L leadership themselves asked their active worker to go in hiding so that poisonous propaganda could be launched against law enforcers," the official said. He presented Yusuf ─ alive ─ before the press, "so that the MQM-L's anti-state propaganda can be exposed".
Maj Raza claimed that after the MQM-L press release was issued, Yusuf became ‘fearful’ of his life and went to Mirpurkhas where, after continuous hiding and fear, he ultimately surrendered himself to the Rangers.
"It is worth mentioning that the family not only confirmed Yusuf’s death but also observed his soyem," said the Rangers official.
Yusuf speaks out
Mohammed Yusuf informed the press that he was as an employee of a construction firm in Gulshan-i-Zia which was raided by men in plainclothes on July 17. Since he was not present at the site, he was not arrested.
Subsequently, he said, he hid at a friend's house in Surjani town, where his friend's daughter showed him MQM-L's press release regarding his death on August 8.
"I was fearful and left for Mirpurkhas where I lived at my childhood friend's home," Yusuf said, adding that he had surrendered since he was missing his children and did not want to create problems for his friend’s family.
"I want to express my gratitude to the law enforcers for providing me protection from MQM-L," he added.
Answering a question, the Rangers spokesperson said that an investigation about the body identified as Yusuf's by the MQM-L was underway.
To another question, he said although there are "different cases" against Yusuf, the possibility of some relief due to his voluntary surrender stands.
A summary of Kamal's presser
- Mustafa Kamal, Anees Qaimkhani announce new political party
- All senior MQM leaders aware party takes funds from RAW
- MQM chief Altaf Hussain addresses workers while intoxicated
- Altaf ruined two generations of Urdu-speaking youth
- Establishment, agencies are not backing me
- Altaf Hussain does not care about Mohajir community
