MQM's is now 30 years old and still a strong force to blow a knuckle In the Face of Feudal Lords! Whether you support it or not you are somehow a beneficiary of the fruit that came out as a result of MQM's struggle.
1: A Knuckle In the Face of Feudal Lords!
The feudal lords and those who share their mindset have no sense of justice and tolerance for other people beneath their self defined line of cast. Pakistan as a nation and Pakistanis as individuals keep facing this wrath in one form or the other. MQM's core philosophy for years has relied over the elimination of this medieval system from the society and everyone to be given equal empowerment. Although the struggle is still not completed but where MQM holds strong grounds these feudal posses no power. Karachi in general and even those areas with in Karachi, which are MQM's constituency vs. which aren't, are clear indicators of this.
Another national level example of this is when, Gen. Ayub Khan was declared winner of the most controversial elections in the history of Pakistan, his son Ayub Gohar killed 150 Karachites himself by firing over them through his car's sun roof, while he was celebrating the success of his father; and later easily due to the influence he had in the ruling government, removed the charge sheet of his name from the report also.
Above would be a little hard to achieve in today's Karachi.
2: The flag bearer of sectarian harmony and minority rights
The founder of this Country, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah wanted a state where Muslims along with all other religions can live in peace and harmony, and everyone has the right to practice his faith independently. Sadly, this is the hardest thing to do in today's Pakistan. Every religious or significant day to minority communities passes under the dark clouds of fear and terror. And if there is one party that has not only spoken against such injustice or oppression, but has always remained involved to keep all entities together, is MQM.
From organizing interfaith harmony conferences before Muharram to ensuring security of churches before Christmas, it is MQM that stands tall between the people of Karachi and those who wish to destroy this hub of peace and brotherhood.
3: An end to heredity in politics
As a common Pakistani, if you do not belong to a notable family of a financially powerful background and if you wish to take part in Pakistani politics, which party would you join? Take any name except MQM and I guarantee given 10-15 years you will never be able to climb its hierarchy, up to a certain level. Even after years you may hardly get lucky if you get a ticket provided there is no other influential choice from your area.
Parties which contested in the recent elections in the name of youth gave away their top positions after winning elections to the big guns that were not even a part of the party during their struggle days. Youth and common men were just there to arrange seats in their commemorations. It is MQM, which has only sent middle class common people to the Parliament and top positions in the government. No one can put forward names in MQM who is there because of any influential background or a family link with its leader, because this party has always played its role in ending the rule of generations in politics.
4: The only genuine-progressive liberal voice of the day
Pakistan has lost 50,000 men and women in the fight of terror. More than 15,000 soldiers have also been martyred in the way of fighting terrorism, country's life line is on stake in this war, our women are picked up lashed, abused and killed; our soldiers and men are slaughtered and their dead bodies are humiliated, our children's schools are attacked, girls are kept away from education.
But still all major political parties justify all these actions, while some do this openly; others follow a more indirect approach. Some say that all these soldiers martyred in this war are not
martyrs, someone say that these extremists are our brother and hence we should not fight them but talk to them. Some publically give speeches against them but on ground they themselves are in alliance with these extremists.
MQM is the only party that had a clear stance against this, from day one publically and internally. MQM always stood with the nation and the army opposing this barbaric invasion whether it was time for Lal Masjid operation or expressing solidarity with armed forces when others were trying their best to keep their moral down. It was MQM who always came forward, faced all the dangers; such that they were not even allowed to hold one public rally during 2013 elections but they stood their ground firm.
5: Freeing Karachi from religious extremism
Before MQM, turnout in Karachi's elections used to be low and those who were voting were voting for religious parties, mainly Jamat-e-Islami even though Karachi consisted of people with liberal mindset. This had two main reasons; firstly their anguish against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's policies based over ethnic biased including the renowned quota system and Sindhi language bill which Karachi and Urban Sindh saw as an attempt to sideline them from the main stream politics and bureaucracy. Secondly Jamat-e-Islami's assurance of standing by the rights of Urdu speaking population of Sindh was their claim to fame, however time to time those assurances just proved to be a vote gaining tactic.
The political vacuum of Urban Sindh was filled when APMSO was formed and later transformed into MQM. A party which had developed its roots in Mahajirs of urban Sindh, hence, genuinely interested in their rights, as well as consisted of middle class men with liberal mindset. MQM came out like a full moon in the dark night, hence, the political weight of Urban Sindh totally shifted paradigms within one election only which of course was neither acceptable to Jamat-e-Islami nor PPP.
6: The knight in the shining armor behind the developed Karachi
Karachi is not only a mega city and the biggest economic hub of Pakistan just because of its population but also the progress that has happened here did not occur anywhere in the country. It is the hub of industrial and economic activity from all over Pakistan, consisting of Pakistan's biggest seaport, while people from all over Pakistan come here to receive education and earn bread.
MQM banking every opportunity it got, mainly two mayor ship terms of Karachi putting day and night into work, developed this city to where it stands today. Infrastructure production to community development, Karachi stands ahead of all others.
7: Giving the common man, the right to LIVE!
Karachi, which is the host to the most diverse set of population from all over Pakistan, attracting people from all over the country to travel here and make their dreams a reality, did not grant the common man the right to live. One of the main reasons behind this attraction is that Karachi's life remains to be open and free as compared to other areas of Pakistan, hubs of art and platforms to put your skills into practice.
This was made possible because of the main liberal political force of Karachi, MQM. Had Karachi be still in the hands of those religious organization then arts would have been a sin for you, unless you live in a posh area; students would be getting beaten by sticks just because they were sitting in mixed group of girls and boys and if you think I am giving this example from some tribal area? No, it happens in the biggest University of Lahore the Punjab University and others government institution where student organizations like Jamiat exists. Caution: Two extra sticks for wearing tight jeans and walking with a girl.
8: Granting Mahajir rights
Those belonging to Mahajir families born in this age do not know much of the story that has passed before them. The struggle to establish this new land was continuing when the great test to stand by Muhatarma Fatima Jinnah arose and their forefather stood up for 10 years against the oppression of Ayub Khan, then faced the bigotry politics during Bhutto's era that included nationalization of resources belonging to Mahajir business tycoons who individually had more wealth than the wealth of all these feudal combined.
After breaking the financial backbone then came the black law of quota system which was open and written law declaring that heredity surpasses merit. Today quota system still exists, but MQM has succeeded far enough in gaining a reasonable support in assemblies gaining a bit more influence over bureaucratic affairs.
The word Mahajir, through decades of propaganda was made to look like an abuse, so that the new generations are reluctant of using this word. Mahajir was never an identification to be linked to India but a message that we left that country for this land, it was not a burden but a badge to be wore high on the chest, loud and proud. Today quota system still exists, but MQM has succeeded far enough in gaining a reasonable support in assemblies gaining a bit more influence over bureaucratic affairs.
This generation may ask what threat the Mahajirs possess in this land. Mahajir is just a buzz word that MQM uses to air to its politics but what they do not know is that if education institutions in Karachi are open for them today it is because of MQM. Before 1986 even institutions like Karachi University had worst quotas based over birth domiciles, they might not realize that going to civil bureaucracy is not a first choice ideally for any Mahajir family today, not because it is not worth it but because their way was blocked with the induction of quota system that declared a graduate of Urban Sindh equal to matric pass from any other area.
So the next time when you sit in the garden of your university or in a café around Zamzama and take a sip of your favorite margarita discussing Pakistani politics and explaining to your friends that MQM's violent politics is outdated and is of no one's use, make sure you remember in your heart that this liberty and privilege is brought to you by MQM.
