Altaf links strong Pakistan to empowered women

KARACHI: Founder leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movment (MQM), Altaf Hussain on Sunday linked a strong Pakistan to empowered women. 

Addressing a mammoth rally of women titled 'Empowered women, strong Pakistan' near Mazar-e-Quaid, Altaf Husain said that the massive rally at Mazar-e-Quaid proved that even the women supporters of MQM 'are enough to compete against other politicians'.

The MQM Chief claimed that Sunday's rally of women was the biggest not only in the history of Pakistan or the Asian continent but the entire world.

He said the aim of today's rally was to ensure women's empowerment in the country and that those who meted out ill treatment to women should be hanged.

Altaf Hussain said that MQM had come out to challenge the antiquated customs that had been in practice to suppress women and other weak segments of society. "It was MQM that staged a million march for the rights of Baloch people and also got the bill for women empowerment passed by the Parliament."

The MQM Chief put the number of women who turned up at Sunday's public meeting near Mazar-e-Quaid at one million. "If anyone is keen to witness revolution, come to Bagh-e-Quaid," he claimed and challenged that even a combined rally of all the parties of the country could not beat today's turnover.

He regretted that even today, women in rural areas of the country were deprived of their basic rights and that is why MQM, instead of paying only lip service, took practical steps to safeguard their rights.

Criticising the US congressmen bill on Balochistan, Hussain questioned as to why the learned brains of Pakistan failed to pay heed to the pressing situation of the province and address its issues?

He termed the current unrest in Balochistan as a failure of government, warning that the province had been pushed to the brink of separation.

Altaf Hussain said MQM stood with women who were struggling for the recovery of missing persons and demanded of the government secure their release and expose the abductors.

The MQM Chief said if every citizen was ensured his rights, the concept of minority would automatically fade away.

He said MQM wanted politics to be done in the country on the basis of merit and that it wanted an end to hereditary politics, terming it no less than 'a thuggery'.

He said MQM ensured increased woman participation in the country's politics.

Hussain described the Sunday's rally as the biggest show of people's solidarity.