‘New MQM-P’ claims it has won back Karachi

It is necessary that all the oppressed sections of Pakistan gather under one ideology to wage a struggle for their rights. Culture and civilisation, not brute power, are strength of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said this on Saturday night while addressing a large public meeting of the party at the Bagh-e-Jinnah to celebrate the 39th Foundation Day of the party.

A large number of people from Karachi and other areas of Sindh attended the public meeting where leaders of the MQM-P addressed them from a huge decorated stage.

Dr Siddiqui, who was the last speaker at the event, said that from the large public gathering, Karachi had given a message to the whole Pakistan.

He was of the view that if the rulers still insisted on holding to their past tactics even after 75 years of independence, nothing was going to change.

He said that MQM’s Foundation Day on March 18 was an extension of the Pakistan Resolution that was presented on March 23. He maintained that the month of March symbolised the continuation of the bright and immortal history of the MQM-P.

He recalled that on March 23, 1940, a meeting of Muslims of the Subcontinent was held at the Minto Park, Lahore, where, he said, the Muslims of India declared resistance instead of making complaints.

If March 23 was the day of the gathering of Muslims to make Pakistan, March 18 was the day for making the commitment to save the country, the MQM-P chief stated. The descendants of the founders of Pakistan had to make the promise that they would save the country, he added.

Dr Siddiqui was of the view that the entire Pakistan had been represented in the MQM-P’s gathering. He declared that a new and fresh struggle had to be started to save our nation from slavery.

Wherever any movement for the oppressed segments began, the MQM-P would be there to support it, he said.

Earlier, MQM-P Deputy Convener Anis Kaimkhani said the party had proved that the people from across the country were supporting it. “Today the people have proved that Karachi belongs to the MQM-Pakistan only.”

Veteran leader of the party Nasreen Jalil said the MQM-P was united and would remain united forever. Referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s 14 National Assembly members from Karachi, she said those 14 representatives could not raise their voice for the problems of Karachi, the people of which were still facing numerous problems, including lack of basic facilities.

MQM-P Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar said that now the divided people of the MQM had been united. He claimed that the MQM-P had held the largest gathering in the recent history of Karachi.

He said that all political parties through an organised conspiracy excluded the MQM-P from the local government elections. He maintained that 80 per cent of the people who had boycotted the local government polls on the call of the MQM-P were present at the rally.

Dr Sattar said that the people of Karachi were standing with the MQM-P in the past and they still stood with the party today.

Karachi should be fully enumerated in the census and the missing population of the city should be recovered, he said.

He remarked that that MQM-P’s boycott of the local government elections was justified because the polls were pre-rigged by formation of fake constituencies. “Pakistan was founded by our forefathers. Only the MQM-Pakistan can take the country out of the current economic crisis,” Dr Sattar said. He stated that the MQM-P would complete the circular railway and K-IV projects soon.

He also called for putting an end to illegal occupation of lands by the mafia. A plan was being made to earn billions in the name of Gothabad schemes, he said, adding that the MQM-P rejected such schemes. “The garbage that has accumulated in the Parliament of Pakistan will soon be thrown into the dustbin,” he said.

Another senior deputy convener of the party Syed Mustafa Kamal said the public meeting was an assembly of the oppressed people of Karachi. He maintained that he could see Pashtuns from Sohrab Goth, Baloch from Lyari and people of all ethnic groups living in Karachi at the venue. “Today's Muttahida Qaumi Movement is completely different and unique. We are continuing this journey only to fight for the rights of our people. The people of New Karachi, Malir and Shah Faisal will come out, while the people of Sohrab Goth and Lyari will also come out to get their rights,” Kamal said.