33 killed in Karachi violence Kamal Siddiqi, Hindustan Times Karachi, May 01, 2009
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STOP PRESS!
The Evil that men do goes on and on. What goes around comes around
On 15 April 2007 the Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Mr Altaf Hussain called the threat of ‘Kalashnikov Sharia’ of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid clerics and asserted that Islam did not allow enforcement of Sharia by force and Pakistan had not been created to be turned into a theological state. Very True.
But how would Mr. Altaf Hussain and MQM justify the following:
If you would follow the MQM’s history you would see that MQM gained power during the days of General Zia ul Haq. I am chronologically giving the speeches of MQM’s Founder Mr. Altaf Hussain to carefully read the dates of his speeches were the days of General Zia, even the date of birth of MQM was in the year 1978 {First year after General Zia ul Haq imposed the Martial Law}. In those days General Zia and his Military goons only allowed the Jamat-e-Islami to do politics and no other political party was allowed any political activities. So how it can be possible that Zia had no knowledge of MQM was coming into being.
MQM's first-ever public meeting at Karachi's Nishtar park on August 8, 1986, was marked by heavy aerial firing from the; pistols and rifles which the party activists were carrying on them. On that day, windowpanes of a traffic police kiosk opposite Quaid-e-Azam's mausoleum were broken, and stones were pelted on petrol pump near Gurumandir. Addressing the rally,
Altaf Hussain said: "Karachi is no more mini-Pakistan. We will accept help no matter where it comes from, from east or west, north or south" (dailies Jang, Jasarat and other newspapers of August 9, 1986).
Two months later, on October 25, 1986, while addressing a press conference at Hyderabad Press Club, Altaf Hussain told the Mohajir youth to "collect arms. If our rights are not given to us, we will use every kind of force". On October 31, while addressing a public meeting at Hyderabad's Pakka Qila, he said: "At first we fought for freedom. Now that we have freedom, we are searching for a country" (daily Amn, Nov 1, 1986).
Riots spread to Hyderabad where seven persons were shot dead in two days. Curfew was clamped in both cities to contain violence, and Altaf Hussain alongwith ten others was arrested by he police on November 2 for attempt to murder and rioting. Nine other MQM activists were also taken into custody and firearms recovered from their possession, whereas 63 persons from other parties to the rioting were arrested from Sohrab Goth area. On November 3, ten persons were killed in hand-grenade attacks in Orangi Town area while six others died in street trouble, brining the week's death toll in Karachi to 52.
On November 18, armed MQM activists fired in the air to disrupt a cricket match in Hyderabad's Niaz Stadium. On November 21, at the end of a one-day cricket match between Pakistan and West Indies, armed MQM activists blocked all roads leading to Karachi's National Stadium. 30 persons received bullet wounds in indiscriminate firing in the Liaquatabad. Teen Hatti, Gulbahar, Orangi, Sabzi Mandi, Nazimabad and other areas of the city. A bank was burnt in Liaquatabad, while a bus was put on fire on Shahrah-e-Quaideen. One November 22, three buses and an oil tanker were burnt in Landhi, while a branch of the National Bank was ransacked and torched in Liaquatabad.
Another government bus and a minibus were burnt in Malir and Old Numaish, and several buses were pelted with stones on November 23. On November 24, 11 vehicles were burnt down in New Karachi, Federal B' Area, Paposhnagar, Gulbahar and Nasirabad. On November 28, armed clashes between MQM activists and the police took place in Hyderabad during which five bank branches were damaged and one bus put on fire.
MQM announced a strike in Karachi on December 9 and asked its followers to remain peaceful. The 'peaceful' strike led to the burning of 11 vehicles and seven bank branches. One youngster was killed, and nearly 40 wounded in indiscriminate firing. Demonstrators pelted stones on the police and a bomb was blasted near Liaquatabad police station. The police became helpless against protesters" (daily Amn). On December 14, MQM's secretary general Dr Imran Farooq stated that the situation could be brought under control only if Altaf Hussain and his companions were freed.
That night, 50 persons lost lives during ghastly manslaughter in Orangi Town. The army was called in and curfew clamped. According to newspapers, the entire Ghetto Township had passed into the hands of a group of klashnikov-weilding youngsters. 70 more persons were killed on December 15.
According to available statistics, as many as 173 persons were sacrificed on the alter of MQM struggle for rights, while 10 banks, 75 vehicles 24 houses and 20 shops were burnt during the last 153 days of 1986. The battle for Karachi's so-called rights had begun. On December 20, MQM Chairman Azim Ahmad Tariq demanded justice for Mohajirs, and advised President Zia-ul Haq to issue arms licenses to Mohajirs. After this, we will neither invite the police or the administration to defend us, nor criticize the government on this score" (daily Jang Karachi).
1987
With the onset of 1987, lawlessness in Karachi caused curfew for a record number of days. This was also the year when MQM's anti-press traits began to shape up. The coming days were to expose some of the most fundamental contradictions inherent in the party's structure and philosophy.
It was on January 31, when Altaf Hussain made the first most controversial public statement of his career. Addressing a series of welcome receptions in Liaquatabad on that day, he told his audience. "Mohajirs will have no god use for their VCRs, color televisions and other luxuries because these things cannot defend us. They will have to arrange for their own security" (daily Jang, Feb 1, 1987).
On February 1, in the central committee meeting of Awami National Party at Lahore that was presided by Khan Abdul Wali Khan, a resolution was passed stating that Sindh's Mohajirs were a part of the larger Sindhi nationality, and that there was no such thing as a Mohajir nationality. ANP was later to become one of MQM's most trusted allies in national politics.
On February 19, Altaf Hussain addressed another rally at Burns Road in Karachi. As the party activists started shooting their guns in the air, Altaf Hussain stopped them, saying "save your ammunition". The audience raised hands to give Altaf the permission to meet anyone, including G.M. Syed. During his address, Altaf said that Sindh could not bear any more population. "There are also Lahore and Faisalabad in the way. These too are Pakistani cities".
On February 20 and 21, 16 persons were wounded and one Suzuki van, four motorbikes and a KTC bus were put on fire during rioting in Liaquatabad, Shershah, Federal B' Area and Sabzi Mandi. Young boys in Liaquatabad pelted stones at the police the whole day.
On April 5, at the book launching ceremony of Shakil Ahmad Zia, Altaf made a hard hitting speech against Punjab, the Punjabis and the army. "You used force, and the result was that the country broke into two History offers no example of such a large number of troops laying down arms. For those who want to send us back to India, let me say that we will not go alone. The whole Pakistan will go to India". During the same address he issued his first threat to the press. One newspaper is becoming a party against Mohajirs. It should take warning" (daily Amn. April 6, 1987).
On May 21, a young man was killed when riots broke out in Malir and Khokhrapar in protest over the arrest of some MQM workers. Six vehicles were also burnt in the
area.
In an interview with daily Nawa-e-Waqt's Irashad Ahmad Arif, published on May 25, 1987, Altaf Hussain said: "Urdu language is Punjab's problem, not ours. We have never demanded that it should be made the national language".
On June 11, while addressing the foundation day celebrations of All-Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (APMSO), he demanded that Mohajirs be issued with arms licenses. He said the religious parties did nothing for the Mohajir Shaheeds but when a Punjabi died everyone from top issued statements of condemnation to bottom. He also said that anyone who met the Muslim Leaguers or was hand in glove with the government ministers had no place in MQM ranks (daily Amn, June 12, 1987).
On June 21, MQM chairman, Azim Ahmad Tariq, stated that the anti-Mohajir policy of daily Jang would be fully resisted. He announced Jang's boycott, and asked people not to read it. The same evening, dozen-armed persons attacked Jang's bureau in Hyderabad and put the premises on fire.
From July 22 to August 30, clashes between MQM and a rival group called Punjabi-Pukhtoon Ittehad (PPI) caused the death of 22 persons, while 300 were wounded. Five policemen also died in riots, while 38 were wounded. Seven KTC buses and a local train also became targets of terrorism. Clashes between the two rival groups had first broken out in April, but arrests on both sides had caused the trouble to temporarily subside.
On August 4, during an address to MQM's general workers' meeting, Altaf Hussain said that the days of the power of the army and the police were numbered. These forces have been bullying us in our airfields, police stations, neighborhoods and streets. They have put the entire Pakistan in their pockets". He further said on August 14, MQM would announce that mini-Pakistan is not Karachi, but Lahore. "Throw open the gates of Lahore to Afghan refugees on that day, and let them do what they please" (daily Amn, August 5, 1987).
On August 9, the campaign to collect sacrificial hides began in Karachi and Azim Tariq, in a statement, alleged that the Jamaat workers robbed MQM volunteers of their hides at gunpoint. He condemned this act, and issued a warning to Jamaat. On August 21, Altaf Hussain told a meeting at New Karachi that the problems could no longer be solved without rendering sacrifices, and asked people willing to make sacrifices to give their names. Addressing the Mohajir police trainees, he said that if they are forced to quit their job, they should break the legs of their instructor. A time will come when our people will be sitting in police stations he said.
On August 26, bloody-armed clashes between two groups in Shah Faisal Colony led to the death of nine persons. 80 persons were injured. Eight platoons of police, riding in 32 mobile vans, were present at the scene but could not bring hostilities to an end. Riots also broke out in Hyderabad on August 27. Curfew was clamped which continued unbroken for twelve days, until 4 p.m. on September 7. On August 28, chairman Jiye Sindh Mahaz (JSM), Abdul Wahid Aresar, expressed support for the "suppressed" Mohajirs, saying that the army, the police and Punjabi settlers had attacked the Mohajirs as if they were a conquered people (daily Amn, August 29, 1987).
On October 31, MQM announced a strike to commemorate last year's killings at Sohrab Goth. During the strike, indiscriminate firing led to the killing of two persons. 85 others were injured while six vehicles, seven shopsand two banks were put on fire. A telephone exchange was burnt in Orangi. Three women, a girl and a man were injured in roadside firing in Liaquatabad and a petrol bomb in Pak Colony injured two police constables. Riots in Kotri and Hyderabad resulted in injuries to DSP and SSP Hyderabad, while offices of the Muslim League and Wapda, a post office, an office of social security, four bank branches and 17 vehicles were set on fire.
1988
Rioting, arson and murder continued into January 1998, ten months before the restoration of democracy in the country. On January 10, stabbing incidents and acts of terrorism in Golimar, Liaquatabad, New Karachi Shah Faisal Colony, Banaras, tin Hatti, Chand Bibi Road and Rizvia Society led to the killing of five persons, and the injuring of several pedestrians including three journalists. 13 vehicles were also set on fire. The army was called in to control the situation. On January 18, four persons were killed in bloody clashes between MQM and PPI activists. Moreover, 37 houses and shops of the area were put on fire in petrol bomb attacks. Curfew was clamped to disengage the warring factions.
Nine persons were killed and 60 hurt in riots that engulfed Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and Sohrab Goth on February 4. The property put on fire included 28 houses, several shops, two factories, a petrol pump and several vehicles. Six more people were killed, and two vehicles burnt, in Liaquatabad, Pak Colony and Gulbahar areas on February 8. Curfew continued in different areas of the city. In a statement on February 21, Altaf Hussain said that Jamaat-e-Islami was another name for the drug mafia and the police. He called Jamaat's Prof. Ghafoor a liar, and accused him of towing Jamaat's "traditional" policy of hypocrisy (daily Amn, Feb 22, 1988).
On March 1, the driver of an oil tanker lost control when he came under attack of rioters in Liaquatabad, the vehicle breaking into a house and killing four inmates. This incident was followed by violent protest in which rioters injured 12 policemen including SDM and DSP Liaquatabad. Nine police vans, a minibus and an autorickshaw were damaged. Four more vehicles were put on fire. On March 3, curfew was clamped in Liaquatabad to prevent further trouble. On March 13, in his address to the Karachi bar, Altaf Hussain advised Punjabis and Pukhtoons to go back to their own provinces and demand jobs from their governments.
On April 30, an accident between a motorbike and a Suzuki van led to incidents of stabbing and firing in Orangi in which four persons were killed. 10 injured a bank branch and several shops burnt. The trouble spread, and by May 9, 31persons had fallen to death in factional fights in Orangi, Nishtar Road, Lighthouse, Pak Colony, Khwaja Ajmer Nagri, Nazimabad and elsewhere.
On May 11, the incidents of stabbing rickshaw drivers in the curfew hit areas started. Six rickshaw drivers were seriously injured. On May 23, MQM activists hiding in Jutland Lines and Shah Faisal colony started attacking policemen and magistrates in order to harass them.
On June 18, riots broke out in Hyderabad in which six persons died and 12 vehicles were destroyed. Two more persons died on the following day inspite of the imposition of curfew.
July 17, in the riots following attack on Mayor Hyderabad. Aftab Shaikh, eight persons were killed and much damage done to property. The bodies of the victims were sent to Sindh interior. On July 21, women activists of MQM stormed the Latifabad police Station and freed 18 arrested persons. G.M. Syed told newsmen on July 22 that both the government and Altaf Hussain were responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation. Altaf Hussain had become arrogant, inflated, he said. On the following day, Altaf Hussain called on Syed at Haider Manzil and the two leaders made and remove misunderstandings.
As per Amnesty International Report {1996}:
The earliest political organization of Mohajirs, the All Pakistan Mohajir Student Organization (APMSO) founded in 1978 by Altaf Hussain, evolved into the MQM in 1984. Ethnic and religious divisions in Sindh were exacerbated during the years General Zia-ul Haq was in office (1977 to 1988, of these 1977 to 1985 under martial law) as he used them to suppress and divide democratic opposition to his rule. Ethnic strife between Mohajir and Sindhis who had initially jointly opposed the influx of Punjabis and Pathans into Sindh, rapidly increased in Karachi and Hyderabad from the mid-1980s. The MQM, led by Altaf Hussain, meanwhile consolidated its hold on the Mohajir community. In November 1987, the MQM won local body elections in
Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban centres in Sindh.
References.
Massive rally against ‘Lal Masjid Sharia’ [1]
April 16, 2007 Monday Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1428
http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/16/top2.htm
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, April 15: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Sunday staged a massive rally in the city against what it called the threat of ‘Kalashnikov Sharia’ of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid clerics and asserted that Islam did not allow enforcement of Sharia by force and Pakistan had not been created to be turned into a theological state.
In a telephonic address from London, party chief Altaf Hussain quoted profusely from the Holy Quran and Hadith to substantiate his attack on religious extremism. He said that extremists were defaming Islam and maligning the name of Pakistan and because of their acts of violence and terrorism, India, Afghanistan and other countries were describing Pakistan as a sanctuary of terrorists. He described the scholars supporting the Sharia of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa as “Ulema-i-Sou” and said they were misleading the country and the people.
The venue of the rally was the vast expanse of M.A. Jinnah Road from the Square of the Quaid’s Mausoleum to the Tibet Centre pedestrian bridge, jampacked by people who had come from all parts of the city and the interior of Sindh.
Mr Hussain spoke for more than one and a half hours, during which two helicopters were seen hovering over the area.
Referring to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, the MQM chief alleged that the mosque and the Jamia, built on encroached land, had been occupied by armed terrorists and because of their actions the world was pointing fingers at Pakistan.
“For God’s sake don’t destroy Pakistan,” he said and termed the rally a referendum against the ‘Kalashnikov Sharia’. He said Ulema from different schools of thought had ruled that the enforcement of Sharia by force was against Islam.
He cited the Quaid’s speech of August 11, 1947 about equality of all citizens of Pakistan, whether Muslims, Christian, Parsi or of any other faith, and freedom for all of them to go to and offer prayers in their places of worship.
He said the rally demanded that Ulema should issue a Fatwa if construction of a mosque or a religious seminary on an encroached and illegally occupied land was justified?
Some Ulema belonging to different schools of thought, who were present at the rally, said it was illegal and that offering prayers or getting religious education in such mosques and seminaries was not allowed. They pointed out that Masjid-i-Nabavi, which was the first mosque built in Madina by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was built only after the land had been purchased by the Prophet (SAW).
Allama Aun Mohammad Naqvi (Fiqah-i-Jafria), Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada (Barelvi school of thought) and Amir Abdullah Farooqui (Ahl-i-Hadith) came to the podium and said offering prayers in a mosque built on an encroached plot of land was against Sharia.
The MQM chief appealed to Ulema, intellectuals, women’s organisations and moderate, enlightened and liberal sections of the society to raise their voices against and expose the “Ulema-i-Sou” who were calling for demolition of girls’ schools and wanted to deprive women and children of their right to get education. He said the right had been given to women by our Prophet (SAW) who had declared the acquiring of education an obligation of every man and woman. The Muslims, he added, would not be able to catch up with developed nations if they did not get modern education.
He said the MQM was against the “Ulema-i-Sou” who were using the name of Islam to advance their vested interests. “Let us pledge today that we won’t be fooled by these people using the name of Islam for achieving their political objectives,” he said and urged the people to maintain sectarian harmony. “We want to make Pakistan a peaceful, democratic, welfare and liberal state.”
Mr Hussain said his party would support Ulema who would raise voice against extremists.
KARACHI: Massive turnout at Muttahida rally: ‘Referendum against extremism’[2]
By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
April 16, 2007 Monday Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1428
http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/16/local1.htm
KARACHI, April 15: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Sunday staged a massive rally in the city against what it called the threat of ‘Kalashnikov Sharia’ of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid clerics and asserted that Islam did not allow enforcement of Sharia by force and Pakistan had not been created to be turned into a theological state.
In a telephonic address from London, party chief Altaf Hussain quoted profusely from the Holy Quran and Hadith to substantiate his attack on religious extremism. He said that extremists were defaming Islam and maligning the name of Pakistan and because of their acts of violence and terrorism, India, Afghanistan and other countries were describing Pakistan as a sanctuary of terrorists. He described the scholars supporting the Sharia of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa as “Ulema-i-Sou” and said they were misleading the country and the people.
The venue of the rally was the vast expanse of M.A. Jinnah Road from the Square of the Quaid’s Mausoleum to the Tibet Centre pedestrian bridge, jampacked by people who had come from all parts of the city and the interior of Sindh.
Mr Hussain spoke for more than one and a half hours, during which two helicopters were seen hovering over the area.
Referring to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, the MQM chief alleged that the mosque and the Jamia, built on encroached land, had been occupied by armed terrorists and because of their actions the world was pointing fingers at Pakistan.
“For God’s sake don’t destroy Pakistan,” he said and termed the rally a referendum against the ‘Kalashnikov Sharia’. He said Ulema from different schools of thought had ruled that the enforcement of Sharia by force was against Islam.
He cited the Quaid’s speech of August 11, 1947 about equality of all citizens of Pakistan, whether Muslims, Christian, Parsi or of any other faith, and freedom for all of them to go to and offer prayers in their places of worship.
He said the rally demanded that Ulema should issue a Fatwa if construction of a mosque or a religious seminary on an encroached and illegally occupied land was justified?
Some Ulema belonging to different schools of thought, who were present at the rally, said it was illegal and that offering prayers or getting religious education in such mosques and seminaries was not allowed. They pointed out that Masjid-i-Nabavi, which was the first mosque built in Madina by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was built only after the land had been purchased by the Prophet (SAW).
Allama Aun Mohammad Naqvi (Fiqah-i-Jafria), Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada (Barelvi school of thought) and Amir Abdullah Farooqui (Ahl-i-Hadith) came to the podium and said offering prayers in a mosque built on an encroached plot of land was against Sharia.
The MQM chief appealed to Ulema, intellectuals, women’s organisations and moderate, enlightened and liberal sections of the society to raise their voices against and expose the “Ulema-i-Sou” who were calling for demolition of girls’ schools and wanted to deprive women and children of their right to get education. He said the right had been given to women by our Prophet (SAW) who had declared the acquiring of education an obligation of every man and woman. The Muslims, he added, would not be able to catch up with developed nations if they did not get modern education.
He said the MQM was against the “Ulema-i-Sou” who were using the name of Islam to advance their vested interests. “Let us pledge today that we won’t be fooled by these people using the name of Islam for achieving their political objectives,” he said and urged the people to maintain sectarian harmony. “We want to make Pakistan a peaceful, democratic, welfare and liberal state.”
Mr Hussain said his party would support Ulema who would raise voice against extremists.
KARACHI: Massive turnout at Muttahida rally: ‘Referendum against extremism’[2]
By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
April 16, 2007 Monday Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1428
http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/16/local1.htm
KARACHI, April 15: Participants of a mammoth rally organised by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement pledged on Sunday to make Pakistan a peaceful and moderate welfare state. For this purpose they are ready to fight religious extremists who want to impose stick-wielding Sharia.
The MQM called a rally in the metropolis on Sunday to denounce religious extremists and imposition of ‘Kalashnikov and stick-wielding Sharia’ by those aligned to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in Islamabad.
It was a well-disciplined rally whose starting point was Guru Mandir, where participants converged to march towards Tibet Centre. Party workers and supporters took out a number of rallies not only from different areas of the metropolis but from other cities of the province to reach the starting point. Processions arrived in the city from Hyderabad, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmor, Ghotki and Larkana.
People reached the starting point in cars, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses and buses. Traffic police closed the road leading to Guru Mandir from Teen Hatti for all traffic other than those participating in the rally. All vehicles were parked at Sharah-i-Quaideen behind the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam.
Besides personnel of traffic police, traffic was being controlled by APMSO workers. Main M.A. Jinnah Road was closed for all kinds of traffic from the starting point of the rally to Tibet Centre.
The rally began at about 3.30pm and was led by MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar, Anwar Alam and others. MQM legislators, ministers, nazims, showbiz personalities, writers, representatives of human rights and women’s rights bodies, Ulema of all schools of thought as well as representatives of minorities participated in the rally.
Carrying tri-coloured party flags and huge portraits of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, a very large number of people participated in the rally, turning it into a big public meeting. From Guru Mandir to Tibet Centre people -- including women and children -- were seen sitting on both tracks of M.A. Jinnah Road.
Strict security arrangements were made by law-enforcing agencies while two helicopters performed aerial surveillance of the rally. Policemen were deployed at the rooftops of all commercial and residential buildings along M.A. Jinnah Road. MQM workers also performed security duties at the location.
Participants of the rally shouted slogans against those imposing ‘stick-wielding Sharia’ and demanded immediate action against religious extremists.
They warmly welcomed Mr Hussain when he started his telephonic address and raised slogans in favour of the party and their leader. However, Mr Hussain asked the participants not to raise any slogan.
Terming the mammoth rally a public referendum against religious extremism, Mr Hussain observed that the event was unprecedented in the entire history of the subcontinent or that of present Pakistan.
The participants unanimously answered in affirmative when Mr Hussain asked them as to whether they are prepared mentally and physically to fight against extremists who are painting a negative picture of Islam.
The rally univocally declared that they will never accept ‘Kalashnikov and stick-wielding Sharia’ imposed by Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa. They also endorsed Mr Hussain’s demand with the president and prime minister to take action against illegal occupation of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid by the religious extremists.
Earlier, Dr Farooq Sattar said that by participating in the rally, people made it clear that they are ready to sacrifice their lives to stop religious extremists, who were imposing their own brand of Sharia.
Other speakers were Shaikh Liaquat Hussain, Tahir Khokhar, Ashfaq Mangi, Roshan Khan Advocate, Yousuf Shahwani, Lala Rukh Mustafa, Shah Sirajul Haq Qadri, Maulana Asad Deobandi and Maulana Ameer Abdullah Farooqui.
After Mr Hussain’s address, participants dispersed peacefully.
The MQM called a rally in the metropolis on Sunday to denounce religious extremists and imposition of ‘Kalashnikov and stick-wielding Sharia’ by those aligned to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in Islamabad.
It was a well-disciplined rally whose starting point was Guru Mandir, where participants converged to march towards Tibet Centre. Party workers and supporters took out a number of rallies not only from different areas of the metropolis but from other cities of the province to reach the starting point. Processions arrived in the city from Hyderabad, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmor, Ghotki and Larkana.
People reached the starting point in cars, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses and buses. Traffic police closed the road leading to Guru Mandir from Teen Hatti for all traffic other than those participating in the rally. All vehicles were parked at Sharah-i-Quaideen behind the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam.
Besides personnel of traffic police, traffic was being controlled by APMSO workers. Main M.A. Jinnah Road was closed for all kinds of traffic from the starting point of the rally to Tibet Centre.
The rally began at about 3.30pm and was led by MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar, Anwar Alam and others. MQM legislators, ministers, nazims, showbiz personalities, writers, representatives of human rights and women’s rights bodies, Ulema of all schools of thought as well as representatives of minorities participated in the rally.
Carrying tri-coloured party flags and huge portraits of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, a very large number of people participated in the rally, turning it into a big public meeting. From Guru Mandir to Tibet Centre people -- including women and children -- were seen sitting on both tracks of M.A. Jinnah Road.
Strict security arrangements were made by law-enforcing agencies while two helicopters performed aerial surveillance of the rally. Policemen were deployed at the rooftops of all commercial and residential buildings along M.A. Jinnah Road. MQM workers also performed security duties at the location.
Participants of the rally shouted slogans against those imposing ‘stick-wielding Sharia’ and demanded immediate action against religious extremists.
They warmly welcomed Mr Hussain when he started his telephonic address and raised slogans in favour of the party and their leader. However, Mr Hussain asked the participants not to raise any slogan.
Terming the mammoth rally a public referendum against religious extremism, Mr Hussain observed that the event was unprecedented in the entire history of the subcontinent or that of present Pakistan.
The participants unanimously answered in affirmative when Mr Hussain asked them as to whether they are prepared mentally and physically to fight against extremists who are painting a negative picture of Islam.
The rally univocally declared that they will never accept ‘Kalashnikov and stick-wielding Sharia’ imposed by Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa. They also endorsed Mr Hussain’s demand with the president and prime minister to take action against illegal occupation of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid by the religious extremists.
Earlier, Dr Farooq Sattar said that by participating in the rally, people made it clear that they are ready to sacrifice their lives to stop religious extremists, who were imposing their own brand of Sharia.
Other speakers were Shaikh Liaquat Hussain, Tahir Khokhar, Ashfaq Mangi, Roshan Khan Advocate, Yousuf Shahwani, Lala Rukh Mustafa, Shah Sirajul Haq Qadri, Maulana Asad Deobandi and Maulana Ameer Abdullah Farooqui.
After Mr Hussain’s address, participants dispersed peacefully.
PAKISTAN Human rights crisis in Karachi SUMMARY FEBRUARY 1996 AI INDEX: ASA 33/01/96DISTR:SC/CO {3}
SUMMARY FEBRUARY 1996 AI INDEX: ASA 33/01/96 DISTR: SC/CO
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/001/1996
SUMMARY FEBRUARY 1996 AI INDEX: ASA 33/01/96 DISTR: SC/CO
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/001/1996
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