KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain on Wednesday called for deployment of army in Karachi to contain the ongoing wave of violence that left dozens of people killed in recent days.
In his telephonic address from London, Altaf said that he was ready to resign as party leader if it caused betterment in the country.
Altaf Hussain said military should act indiscriminately against all groups to restore peace in the city.
His demand came a day after he set a two-day ultimatum for the President and the Prime Minister to restore peace in Karachi.
He said that most of the people, who were murdered in Karachi, were innocent. He asked Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to stop patronizing land and drug mafias.
The MQM leader said that Punjabis and Sindhis had warmly received mohajirs (migrants) during partition of sub-continent. He said that MQM was not against any ethnic group but, he added, that mohajirs were always targeted.
The MQM, he said, condemns ongoing acts of violence in Karachi. It is being said that three parties are responsible for Karachi situation, nobody is speaking truth. He said the government had failed to control terrorists.
The MQM Chief said that action should be taken against those involved in terrorist activities. He added that action should also be taken against the MQM if it is found involved.
Those who claim ownership of Pakistan today had actually been slaves of Hindu Bania (during pre-partition) and the freedom they were enjoying today is because of the Mohajirs' struggle. "Pakistan came into being because of Mohajirs," he maintained.
He said Mohajirs had not come to Pakistan empty handed and demanded of the international community to accept their presence.
"Mohajirs are no longer Mohajirs here because it is their fifth generation that is now living in Pakistan," Altaf Hussain argued.
Drawing attention of Sindhis, the MQM Chief said 'if you are 200-year old Sindhis then we are 70-year old Sindhis'.
The MQM Chief said the Army must come to Karachi and see for itself who is involved in the killings. If even a single MQM worker is found involved, action be taken against him, he added.
"I want peace in Karachi at all cost. I hate violence. I want Pakistan to make progress and corruption be rooted out," he said, adding, he was ready to renounce the party leadership if it could bring peace to the city.
Copyright NNI (News Network International), 2011
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