Altaf Hussain denies demanding Karachi’s separation

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has, in an apparent damage control move, stated Monday that he did not make any demand for separation of Karachi from the country.

In a policy statement issued today, Altaf Hussain in an attempt to clarify his earlier stand said those hurling accusation in connection with his Sunday’s statement should view it in a proper context by obtaining its audio CD.

The statement said: “How can Altaf Hussain issue an anti-Pakistan statement?”

Addressing his party leaders and workers on Sunday, Altaf Hussain had said: “If the ‘establishment’ doesn’t accept his party’s mandate, it should go ahead and detach it from the rest of the country.”

He had said, ‘instead of abusing Karachi and its people, separate Karachi from Pakistan’ and warned the ‘establishment’ that they were playing with fire. “If you didn’t stop playing with fire, it would burn down the entire Pakistan,” he snapped, and the same time added that he was not issuing any threats to anyone.

“The nations which are pushed against the wall usually choose to build their separate home (land),” Altaf Hussain had warned.

The MQM Chief had dared anyone who was opposing his party to come up with evidence and warned that if opposition was not stopped, he would not take long to let his associates free to act on their own. “How can I control them and for how long,” he had added.

In today’s statement, Altaf Hussain paid tributes to the staff of Election Commission of Pakistan and its Chief Fakhruddin G Ebrahim for successful conduct of general elections in the country.

He also congratulated the nation on the holding of general elections and continuity of democratic process.

Yesterday, he had warned the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reach a decision with honesty or else they will not be able to find any shelter.

Earlier today, the Election Commission Secretary, Ishtiaque Ahmed said that re-polling would only be conducted on 43 polling stations of NA-250 (Karachi) and not in the entire city as being demanded by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership and its supporters besides other political parties.

Various protests were staged in Karachi against the ‘massive rigging’ allegedly carried out by MQM during the May 11 elections in the city.

A protest sit-in staged by PTI supporters yesterday still continues at Teen Talwar, Karachi while another such demonstration was also carried out by them at Sharea Faisal this evening. They are demanding re-polling on all the National and provincial constituencies across Karachi.

In today’s statement, Altaf Hussain asked the protestors to avoid creating further complications for the country by staging demonstrations on streets.

“Those who have any grievances should adopt legal means for their redressal,” he advised.

Altaf Hussain said ‘we should inculcate the habit of accepting each other’.

“Let’s resolve to build Pakistan in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azaam and Allama Iqbal,” the MQM Chief asserted.