MQM leader seeks UN’s help in attaining self-determination right

Asia: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder-leader Altaf Hussain has once again laid his demand for the right of self-determination and has urged the United Nations (UN) to immediately send its investigators and observers to Pakistan to look into the “genocide” of Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns and other oppressed “nations”, allegedly by the “demonic” Pakistan army and its intelligence agencies.

He laid this demand while speaking to a gathering at the Kenton Hall on the occasion of MQM’s 35th Foundation Day. His address was heard and viewed live across the world by the followers, activists, affiliates and sympathisers.

Hussain not only demanded the right of self-determination for the “oppressed” Mohajir nation in Pakistan but he equally laid his demand for other oppressed nations in Pakistan such as Baloch, Pashtun, Seraiki, Sindhi, Gilgiti, Baltistani “nations” and others.

Altaf also slammed Pakistan for ‘fraudulently’ commemorating Pakistan Day on March 23 each year and claimed that Pakistan had fraudulently taken the Lahore Resolution as Pakistan Resolution that was presented and passed at Manto Park, Lahore in 1940.

According to him, the Lahore Resolution never mentioned Pakistan but had carried suggestions for giving autonomous state status to Muslim Majority provinces in undivided India and those provinces are still with India as its integrated parts. The division of India was the gravest blunder, he opined.

Inviting a member from the audience to read aloud the Lahore Resolution, Hussain wanted to prove that the accord did not carry any mentioning of Pakistan as a demand. The audience agreed and endorsed his claim upon finding no mention of Pakistan in the resolution.

Hussain addressed the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and leaders of world democracies, seeking their help and support for freeing oppressed Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns and others.

“I would like to mention the misunderstandings regarding the meaning of refugees and immigrants…the meaning of Mohajir is entirely different, or if I can explain in a different way, it has a different connotation or implication. Whenever anybody uses the word ‘Mohajir’ in Pakistan it indicates or represents a separate entity, nation, ethno-linguistic, cultural group as compared to the different nations of Pakistan, like Punjabis, Pashtoons, Balochs, Sindhis, Saraikis, Gilgitis, Baltistanis, Kashmiris, Hazarwals, and so on,” he said.

“I want to bring to your attention that where Pakistan is formed, the people residing in those areas were never in favour of creating Pakistan, and the people of those areas, which were termed as Muslim minority provinces like, UP, CP, Hyderabad Deccan, Bihar and many other provinces, were very enthusiastic and foremost, they were at the forefront in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan. To attain their objective, they sacrificed two million lives, including men, women, children, their properties and all their worldly possessions, and migrated to their own created country Pakistan,” the MQM leader added.

He further said: “However, this is very unfortunate, since the inception of Pakistan on August 14, 1947, Mohajirs have been treated as aliens, and never considered as equal citizens of Pakistan.”

“Despite persistent acts of discrimination, victimisation, their annihilation from time to time, the Mohajirs have tried their level best and used every corridor to register their grievances, not only as complaints but for their resolutions as well,” Hussain mentioned.

“We took part in the local bodies elections, provincial, national, Senate under the banner of our sole political party, the MQM, but after many years of peaceful democratic struggle we were targeted and subjugated to brutal actions by the deep state,” he outlined.

On June 19, 1992, the Pakistani Army launched an army operation to completely “wipe out” the Mohajirs from the face of Pakistan, he also said at the event.

“They killed 22,000 innocent young Mohajirs, elders, women, and innocent children. Thousands are still missing and thousands are incarcerated in different jails in Pakistan. Their struggle and background have now become an identity of a nation known as Mohajirs,” Hussain stated.

“When the Mohajirs are unable to get justice from the judiciary guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan to provide equal opportunity to each citizen and to be treated equally irrespective of their caste, colour, creed, origin, religion and gender, we have been forbidden to raise our voice and an undeclared ban on the political activities of the MQM is continuing,” MQM’s founder-leader highlighted.

He went on to further outline their plight, saying, “We are not allowed to hold peaceful demonstrations or rallies and we are not even allowed to go and pay tribute to the monument of our martyrs.”

“My house has been sealed for more than three years, including the nearby offices of the MQM which have also been sealed,” Hussain said.

“I want to mention one very important fact, which can be confirmed by any neutral observer, that MQM is a peace-loving, democratic, secular political party, and I feel proud to say that MQM is the only political party in Pakistan, which is against religious fanaticism, Jihadi outfits, and is very vocal against the nexus of Pakistan army and the Jihadi banned outfits,” he stated.

“I have openly challenged the International Court of Justice to form an enquiry commission there (in Pakistan) and if I fail to prove that all Jihadi mercenaries are not only created but are provided funds, weapons, explosives, safe havens then I am ready to face any punishment,” Hussain put forth.

“Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism, not only within its boundaries but spreads terrorism abroad, which has been confirmed many times by well known global leaders, and international think tanks. If the United Nations and the peace-loving democratic world does not take serious action to completely clean Pakistan from all sorts of terrorism, then the world and its people, and their lives will be at stake,” he said.

“Please tell us what option do we have left, but to raise the voice for self-determination?” Hussain asked.

“The United Nations must intervene on an urgent basis before the Pakistani Army and its proxies kill hundreds of people belonging to minority ethnic groups,” he pleaded.

“We demand the freedom to trade, access to education, a right to defend ourselves, and access to be employed in all kinds of institution,” Hussain put forth.

“I also demand to the Honourable Secretary-General and other democratic leaders of the world to send their investigative agencies to investigate the plight of the Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns, and other ethnic and religious minorities,” he said.

“My message is that we all collectively ensure that the United Nations and leaders of the world hear our voices, the voice of the Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtuns, and all those underrepresented voices miserably surviving in Pakistan,” the leader outlined.

“In my opinion and philosophy, the division of the sub-continent was the gravest blunder in the history of mankind,” the MQM founder reiterated.

The MQM Coordination Committee Deputy Convener Qasim Ali Raza, in his address earlier, had said that MQM wants freedom from Pakistan and there is no one who can deprive them of this right.

Adding to this, the MQM Coordination Committee Convener, Nadeem Ehsan, said that the history of Pakistan is absolutely fraudulent and distorted, adding that the MQM founder-leader “has always spoken the truth” and “always put forth the correct record of history”.

He added that MQM is struggling for the rights of the “oppressed Mohajirs” as well as “oppressed Balochs and Pashtuns and all other victimized nations” in Pakistan.

The MQM’s Foundation Day was attended by MQM overseas designees and Baloch, Sindhi, Pashtun, representatives amongst others.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]