Zulfiqar Mirza should go to court and present his proof: MQM
Published: August 30, 2011
Speaking at MQM headquarter Nine Zero, party leader Faisal Sabzwari said that many people in the past had expressed their hatred for the MQM and party leader Altaf Hussain. PHOTO: IRFAN ALI/FILE
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday held a press conference in response to the earlier allegations made by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Zulfiqar Mirza.
Speaking at MQM headquarter Nine Zero, party leader Faisal Sabzwari said that many people in the past had expressed their hatred for the MQM and party leader Altaf Hussain.
He said the MQM had shown responsible behavior in the wake of Zulfiqar Mirza’s statement and their response showed “manners and culture.”
On breaking Pakistan
On Zulfiqar Mirza’s allegation of Altaf Hussain conspiring with the US to break Pakistan, Sabzwari said that he had made childish allegations that highlighted the “mentality” of the former Sindh senior minister.
“It is a lie that the MQM’s enemies have been narrating since the party was created…it is nothing new…just like the lies regarding the creation of Jinnahpur,” said the MQM leader.
Sabzwari said the MQM had been formed by people whose ancestors had left everything behind for the sake of Pakistan. He added that it was actually Zulfiqar Mirza who had come on the media and said “we want to break Pakistan”.
“Just a few months ago Zulfiqar Mirza had stated that he wished to break Pakistan. This same individual is now making shameful allegations against the MQM.”
Referring to documents held by Mirza and circulating online, Sabzwari said the MQM would defend anything the party had written. He added that only yesterday, the UK High Commissioner said he had no knowledge of a letter sent by the MQM chief to former prime minister Tony Blair which called for disbanding the ISI.
Target killers and terrorists
Speaking on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) reports that had recently revealed that members of the MQM had been found involved in target killings, Sabzwari said that all criminals should be presented in court and that they were “innocent until proven guilty.”
He said that it was the right of every person to go to court and that Zulfiqar Mirza should also go to court with the allegation he has made and present his proof there.
“Zulfiqar Mirza shouldn’t become a judge and jailer and should go to court” he said.
“This drama was carried out to divert attention from the suo motu hearing of the Supreme Court on the Karachi situation.”
He alleged that extortion and kidnapping rose when Zulfiqar Mirza had taken charge as home minister, adding that 500 MQM workers were killed during Mirza’s tenure.
Sabzwari referred to the Shershah scrap market incident and said the attackers had surrendered but had later been released as the witnesses in the case had been threatened to not come forward. He alleged that the same criminals had later been seen with Zulfiqar Mirza at a Peoples Amn Committee rally, where he had said that they were all his children.
He said that Zulfiqar Mirza had spoken a lot about peace in Karachi when he had taken charge, but he spoke up as soon as the operation in Lyari began and a torture cell was discovered at “one of his children’s home and office.”
Sabzwari said that operations against terrorists and miscreants must continue across the board to end violence in the city.
The issue of ethnic hatred
Sabzwari said that no member of the MQM or Altaf Hussain were against the Pashtuns or any other ethnicity, and that the Pahtuns were their brothers.
“It is Zulfiqar Mirza who is conspiring to create a rift between Pushtoons and Muhajjirs” he said.
The MQM leader said that there had been no rifts between the Muhajir and Baloch communities, and alleged that Mirza was conspiring to create ethnic divisions between the two communities.
Truth and the Quran
Before the Q & A session, Sabzwari said he had his hands on his seat and not on the Quran.
He said that he did not need to prove that he is speaking the truth by placing his hand on the Quran and it was the trust and support of the people that proved the party was truthful.
He added that MQM members were not like those who had lied to the point that they would have to hold the Quran or “raise the holy Quran over their heads” to make their point.
Sabzwari called on MQM workers to maintain peace and calm in this time.
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