Establishment And Its Minus-Altaf Hussain Policy!

“Some officers of ISI and Sindh Rangers are calling MQM`s elected members of Parliamentarians and asking to part their ways from Altaf Hussain and join Mustafa Kamal`s the rebellion group (PSP). Otherwise, they will have to face severe consequences”.  This was what MQM`s founder and leader Altaf Hussain revealed in his special message to the people of Pakistan.

Interestingly, no reaction came from The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan Army. There seems to be a complete silence from it unlike we did witness a quick reaction from ISPR immediately Altaf Hussain`s address to his workers in which he criticized Rangers and military establishment over the arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings of MQM`s works and supporters. Indirectly, this silence seems to be endorsing Altaf Hussain`s claim.

During 1995-96 too, Altaf Hussain gave a similar statement in which he claimed that, as per his sources, a secret meeting was held in a bungalow of Karachi which was attended by some high ranked officers from the Pakistani military establishment as well as some very infamous (for fake encounters) police officers. In that meeting, the army officials not only praised those Police officers over their actions (extra-judicial killings) against MQM, but they also rewarded them with precious (Rolex) wrist watches.

Though after Altaf Hussain`s claim, political analysts expected that either the government or ISPR would refute it, both of them kept complete silence. That, in turn, validated Altaf Hussain`s revelation. It is important to notice that since the Karachi operation started by Rangers (the sub-force of Pakistan army), MQM has been claiming that the purpose of the on-going operation is actually to wipe it out from the political scene. According to MQM`s representatives, dozens of their workers were killed in the custody and nearly the same number went missing after they were picked by the law-enforcement agencies since September, 2013. 

These figures are in addition to the thousands of party workers and office bearers who have been arrested during the same operation. 

However, political government and the law-enforcement agencies both have denied this charge several times and have kept on reiterating that Karachi operation is not against any specific party and community. But, in contrast to their clarifications, most of Pakistani anchorpersons and analysts directly and indirectly have accepted in the talk shows that MQM has been the prime target of the operation. Even some specific anchorpersons (who are known for having close links with the military establishment) have more than once revealed in their programs that the army has decided to finish MQM at any cost.

According to them, for this purpose, either Altaf Hussain (the founder and head of MQM) would be compelled to step down from the party leadership or, if not possible, a new group would be formed against him. If true (as the emergence of Pak Sarzameen Party headed by an MQM`s rebellion, proves the same), question is, does the Constitution of Pakistan permit any army general/officer to use the institution`s power to finish a political party which has public mandate?

At this point, it should be kept in mind that a ban was put on the media coverage of Altaf Hussain`s speeches and even his images in Pakistan blaming that he had caused a disrespect to the Pakistan army in his speech. (In fact, he just criticized the military establishment over the victimization of his workers). So question is, why has no action yet been taken against those anchorpersons who openly accused Pakistan army of hatching a conspiracy against MQM and its chief? Why are they still doing their talk shows without any ban from PEMRA? Was no disrespect assumed to have caused to Pak Army through the claims of these anchorpersons? Or should it be inferred that their claim was true or/and (that) the media ban against Altaf Hussain was merely the result of discrimination from the authorities?

Similarly, we saw this kind of double standard of the Pakistani authorities also when the present Federal Interior Minister Choudhry Nisar made a shocking revelation about the intention of a former army chief of assassinating Altaf Hussain. In an interview, Pakistani interior minister claimed that then Army Chief (Pervez Musharaf) had the intention to have Altaf Hussain killed in London through their sources in such a way that the blame would not come on the army.

No double, it was a severe allegation on the Pak army. But, neither the Prime Minister nor the present army chief refuted that. Furthermore, Choudhry Nisar is still the Pakistan`s interior minister and there is neither any media blackout nor a single FIR/case registered against him. This is quite opposite to the situation in which over hundred cases were registered against MQM`s chief just with in few days over his criticism on law-enforcement agencies. Question is, can there be any positive outcome of such a discrimination against Altaf Hussain and his party?

It should be kept in mind that Altaf Hussain formed MQM mainly for the rights of Muhajirs (Urdu speaking community) who had been the victim of ethnically based victimization since they migrated to Pakistan in 1947 from India. But, instead of realistically considering their genuine grievances and taking steps for their solution, Pakistani military establishment kept on trying to remove them which has added to the miseries of the already oppressed community.

Pakistan is perhaps the most unfortunate country of the world which lost its bigger part (formerly East Pakistan, and now Bangladesh) due to the similar discrimination and the resulted victimization of Bengali community in 1971. Keeping in view the bitter history, Pakistani military and political establishments need to revisit their anti-MQM and minus-Altaf Hussain policies as it is increasing the sense of isolation in the Urdu speaking community in the country. So, if the hostile policies continue longer, they may result in another great human tragedy in Pakistan like in 1971.