Altaf Hussain asks workers if he should leave party

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader, Altaf Hussain said he was consulting legal advisers over the contempt of court issue.

"I and my lawyers are deliberating as to how we should respond to the Supreme Court's contempt notice served upon me," he said.

MQM leader also urged his party workers to have their say on whether his stand on the contempt issue could aggravate the situation at hand.

Hussain said, “I am aware of the emotions of my workers but if someone thinks that circumstances would take a turn for the worse because of my determination, I am ready to relinquish the party leadership and leave politics.”

“I appeal to the MQM workers throughout the country, voters, supporters, and well-wishers to express their views if I should leave party leadership and politics. The MQM workers, voters, and general public can contact at the MQM Head Office, Nine Zero or the International Secretariat in London to send their views."

"They can also send their opinions through fax or email. I would place their views before the Co-ordination Committee and decide about the future course of action in the light of public views.”

Hussain added that he was was not afraid of anyone on the face of this Earth, no matter how powerful, and only afraid of Allah the Almighty.

"I only fear the wrath of my Creator. No mighty mortal of the world out there can intimidate me", said he while talking to the Co-ordination Committee in London/Pakistan, office-bearers of various wings of the MQM and constitutional/legal experts.

Meanwhile, thousands of MQM workers gathered outside the party headquarter Nine Zero here in support of Altaf Hussain.

Moreover, MQM workers in Hyderabad and Mirpur Khas also came out onto the streets chanting slogans which said, "We need the leader and not the destination."

Later, MQM leader Wasim Aftab, addressing the workers outside Nine Zero said that Altaf Hussian was inevitable for his followers.

"We will see him through thick and thin till the last drop of our blood. We are here to remind everyone that our pledge to our leader was set in stone", said he.

He added that 'they could leave MQM but not Altaf Hussain' was their answer to their leader's question.