Govt stabbed MQM in the back: Altaf

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has lashed out at the PPP-led government for postponing the election on three constituencies of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly and urged the judiciary to take notice of the `undemocratic, unethical and illegal act’.
Addressing a workers’ convention by phone from London on Sunday, Mr Hussain said that by `deceiving’ its true ally the government had started the beginning of its own destruction.
He asked the MQM’s coordination committee to complete consultations with workers and office-bearers within a week so that the party could finalise its future course of action.
The MQM had announced boycotting the AJK polls after elections on three constituencies were postponed. The workers’ conventions were held in various parts of Pakistan to seek their opinion in the wake of present circumstances.
Mr Hussain minced no words when he said that the government had stabbed the MQM in the back despite the fact that the party had supported it in even difficult times and nominated Asif Ali Zardari for the office of the president at a time when no one from the PPP was willing to suggest his name. “Was it the crime of the MQM that it had nominated Asif Zardari as president and had unconditionally supported Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the time of his election?”
He said the MQM was forced to boycott the elections because of what he called dictatorial steps of the government and added that the government was hiding its `true face’ under the veil of democracy. “This veil should be removed so that people could see their real face.
Although they say they have learnt from their past mistakes but it seems they have learnt nothing,” the MQM leader said
He said the government had made the results of the Azad Kashmir elections unacceptable to the people of Pakistan.
Mr Hussain alleged that some PPP leaders had asked the MQM that if it did not give one seat of AJK assembly from Karachi to them then they would get the elections postponed. “I asked them as to why we give you a seat…have you arrested the killers of Benazir Bhutto,” he said sarcastically.
He announced that a `day of condemnation’ would be observed every June 26 in protest against the alleged illegal and unconstitutional acts of the government.
Mr Hussain asked those representatives of the government who had faith in democracy to raise their voice against this injustice.
He directed the MQM coordination committee to file petitions with courts with a pray to declare the elections null and void and order the authorities to hold it afresh.
He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan, the chief justice of Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as the chief justices of provincial high courts to “support the oppressed people against the decision of the present government”