I might be killed for patriotism: Altaf Hussain

LONDON: During a video conference Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain claimed that if the army, ISI, and MQM joined hands then they could even face a superpower, Geo News reported.

The MQM chief spoke of an international conspiracy to divide Pakistan. He said his life was at risk due to this conspiracy.

Presenting a map in which Punjab along with half of the country was marked as a part of Afghanistan he said, "I fear I may be killed as I am a hurdle in plans of dividing Pakistan."

The map also showed Balochistan as an independent state while some parts of Karachi were also included in Afghanistan.

Hussain said that he was willing to provide all MQM workers to support the army in an effort to thwart international conspiracies to divide the country.

Accusing the present Awami National Party (ANP) leadership of misguiding Pakhtuns, Hussain said, "If I was against Pakhtuns then why was the MQM supported across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa [when they had announced the day of mourning for the victims of violence in Karachi.]"

According to Hussain ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan was given several million dollars by the United States to win the 2008 elections.

Saying history taught in Pakistan was inaccurate, Hussain said, Pakistan today is a far from Jinnah's vision of secularism and equality for all.

He said innocent people were tortured and slaughtered by terrorists during the recent wave of violence in Karachi. "If I was not the chief of my party I would have been killed or taken someone's life."

He called on the president, prime minster, chief of army staff and ISI chief to view a video of people from the Urdu-speaking community being tortured. Hussain alleged the video was made by criminals from the Lyari Amn Committee.

He clarified that the MQM was not against the people of Lyari but against criminals whoever they may be.

He said the ANP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Peoples Amn Committee and Haqiqi were involved in terrorist activity in Karachi and if action was not taken then he would withdraw his appeal to MQM workers to remain peaceful.

Speaking about the carnage which took place on May 12, 2007 the MQM chief said his party had not taken out the procession against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry nor did they shout any slogans against him.

Hussain accused the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) of paying Haqiqi members to fire on an MQM rally during May 12 and fuelling the violence which took place in Karachi that day.

Hussain demanded that action be taken against the JI's militant wing 'Thunder Squad'.

He added that 16 MQM workers were killed while 65 were injured on May 12.

Calling the Charter of Democracy (COD) a "document of false promises", Hussain said both the Peoples Party and Nawaz Sharif had failed to implement its contents.

When asked about accusations made by Zulfiqar Mirza against him and his party, Altaf Hussain said he would not answer them.