Rebuttal Of The Editorial of The Frontier Post

(http://thefrontierpost.com/article/83615/Altaf-seeks-another-Musharraf/)

Editor,

Everyone has the right to express his or her disagreement with anyone, but when the facts are being distorted in the name of criticism, it is necessary to correct them.  

Very obviously, Altaf Hussain`s view was in the context of the “expected return” to Saudia Arabia for 1.5 Billion dollars to the Nawaz Sharif`s government. Needless to highlight the negative consequences that Pakistan and its people had to face as a result of militarily owning the “outsiders`” internal disputes just for the hunger of dollars and Riyals. However, if, in your opinion, Altaf Hussaain, really wanted to give a “call” to Pakistan Army for a military takeover, then why did he so warmly welcome the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s clarification that Pakistan would not send its forces abroad?

However, all those analysts who closely observe the Pakistani politics, are aware of the bitter fact very well that these are not the Army Generals, but the political and religious leaders who act on the call or direction of the military establishment. Whenever army decides to take over, it neither needs nor does it wait for a “call” or “invitation” from the politicians. The military takeover of 12^th October is the true reflection of the same reality.

Mr. Editor,

You blamed that Altaf Hussain deliberately avoided a right way of criticism on the KSA`s gift just for the sake of dragging the political government and the country`s Defense Forces into a dispute. As per your words, MQM`s founder should have waited for the time if and when the government decided to actually send the troops abroad and then filed a petition in the apex court.

If your suggested way is really valid, then why did the Supreme Court also not adopt such a sensible and logical course in the Asghar Khan Case instead of directing the officials not to obey illegal orders of their seniors? Why did it not preferably ask the government servants to first follow all orders of their seniors and, later on when proved illegal, should file a petition to the Apex court against them?

Regarding the MQM`s vision for democracy, Altaf Hussain and his party decided to boycott the first local bodies election in 2002 just on the fact that they were being held by an military “dictator”. However, in contrast to Altaf Hussain and MQM` s principle stand, PPP, PML-N, PTI, JI, and PML-Q actively participated in the local bodies elections held by the same Army General.

Considering your analysis about MQM`s position in the Pakistani politics, do you think it is possible for any one of the two relatively big parties (PPP and PML-N) to get two-third clear majority to form a strong government unless the other one is reduced by hook or by crook? Formation of IJI and 2013`s general elections in which Taliban were used to help PML-N and PTI`s win the elections by targeting PPP, MQM and ANP. Considering all these things, can such a tactic ever be called constitutional, legal and democratic to get heavy mandate to form governments?

Regarding accusing MQM and Altaf Hussain of being beneficiary of Musharf`s rule, it was not Altaf Hussain, but Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif who entered into secret agreements (commonly known as NRO`s) with the same military dictator to enter Pakistan for taking part in the politics.

You should accept the fact that MQM now neither represents only one specific ethnicity nor does its vote bank has been limited only to Karachi and Hyderabad. To tell the truth, MQM has proved its presence all over Pakistan including interior Sindh, Punjab, KPK, Baluchistan and even Azad Kashmir in addition to its traditional political forts Karachi, Hyderabad.

Democratically speaking, it is completely ill-logical to analyze a party by the number of times it came into power. Rather, it is its governance or performance to the voters by which a political party should be analyzed.

If you still want to analyze a party merely on the basis of number times it came into government, then would you like to count the number of times and years for which PML-N and PPP came into power?

All the above stated facts very clearly nullify what you have claimed, rather blamed on MQM.