KASHMIR ELECTIONS SHOULD BE DECLARED NULL AND VOID: ALTAF HUSSAIN
FRESH ELECTIONS SHOULD HELD AS THE PRESENT ELECTIONS HAVE BECOME
DOUBTFUL AND UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE OF AUTOCRATIC ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT
KARACHI: 26TH JUNE 2011:
The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir should be declared null and void and fresh elections should be held as the present elections have become doubtful because of the autocratic steps of the government. He lashed out at the government and said that the undemocratic, unconstitutional and unethical steps taken by the present government that claims to be the champion of democracy had even shamed the dictatorial steps of dictators in the past. He was addressing large general workers conventions across Pakistan in the backdrop of the postponement of elections on seats reserved for Kashmir migrants in Karachi and Abbotabad. They address of Mr Altaf Hussain was relayed at more than fifty locations worldwide.
Mr Hussain said that despite the fact that the MQM had supported the present government in difficult times, it had stabbed the MQM in the back. The MQM nominated President Asif Ali Zardari for the office of the president at a time when no one from his own party was ready to suggest his name. The MQM gave unconditional support to the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani. The MQM came to their help when it was being said that the government could go any time. Despite everything that the MQM did, the present government betrayed it allied party shamefacedly.
Mr Hussain said that important leaders from the PPP told that if they were not given one seat then they would get the elections postponed. Meetings were held at every level in the party and it was decided that enough was enough. Why should they be given the seat like this? What had they done? Had they arrested the killers of Benzir Bhutto that they were demanding seats like this?
Mr Hussain said that the MQM had made full preparations for the elections of legislative assembly of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. It had opened party offices in Kashmir and fielded candidates from nearly all the constituencies according to the demands of the Kashmiri people. In the precious elections the MQM had been gained victory on two seats and it was expected that the MQM would definitely gain some additional seats as well. The MQM was forced to boycott the elections because of the autocratic steps of the government.
Mr Hussain said that the present government was hiding its autocratic face under the cloak of democracy. This cloak should be stripped so that the common people could see their real face. Despite all the protestations of democracy their actions were simply a continuance of the past dictators. They used to say that they had learnt from their past mistakes but was apparent that they had learnt nothing from the past.
Mr Hussain said that the 26th June should be observed as a day of condemnation each year to mark the dictatorial actions of the present government. They had trampled democratic principles, ethics and norms in order to force the MQM, the third largest political party of the country, out of the elections.
Mr Hussain said that such in 1993 the then corps commander of Karachi Lt. General Naseer Akhter had also tried to browbeat the MQM into accepting 4 seats only but the MQM had refused to bow down and boycotted the elections.
Mr Hussain said that an important personality of the PPP had promised to him that he would never betray the MQM. If he could not support the MQM even then he would not go against it. But now the elections were postponed on the pretext that the Rangers were not ready to provide manpower. If it were really so then he should have resigned from his position instead of stabbing the MQM in the back.
Mr Hussain appealed to journalists, media persons, human rights organizations and democracy loving people to raise their voice against the undemocratic actions of the government. He asked the Co-ordination Committee of the MQM to file petitions in the courts for getting the elections null and void.
Mr Hussain also appealed to take notice of the situation. How can the elections justified in the face of the undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal actions of the government?
Mr Hussain said that we were always criticized for supporting the government despite its betrayals. We supported the government not for our personal gains for the continuation of the democratic process and for establishing brotherly relations in the province of Sindh.
Mr Hussain warned the government that there was bad time ahead because it had cheated the party that stood by it in the times of need. He said that the MQM had faced state coercive power of the state in the past and we were ready to test it even now. But he warned that it was 2011 and not 1993.
In the end Mr Altaf Hussain asked the Co-ordination Committee to hold meetings and arrive at a decision as to what should be done in present circumstances.
