MQM observes black day against Khursheed's statement
27 October, 2014
KARACHI: In view of the black day observed across Sindh province on a call given by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), businesses and social life in Karachi and other cities of the province remained suspended on Sunday.
The MQM had geared up momentum for creating more provinces on an administrative basis by organising a massive protest rally at the Shahrah-e-Quaideen with the pledge that the movement would continue after Muharram until 20 more provinces were created in Pakistan. The MQM chief Altaf Hussain said that the people of Pakistan had given their verdict in favour of new provinces and new administrative units throughout Pakistan.
"Our protest will continue till 20 more provinces are carved out on an administrative basis," vowed Khalid Maqbool. "When a Mohajir starts his journey, history is in the making."He was addressing a mammoth gathering on Sunday to express anger over the remarks of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and also announced that the movement for the creation of 20 more provinces would restart after Muharramul Haram.
Maqbool said, "It is only after we made sacrifices to reach here that Pakistan was created. If we hadn't migrated, you would have remained in the clutches of Hindus," he said. He went on to say nobody invited the Mohajirs to Pakistan. "We brought Pakistan along with us. We are Pakistan."
He said, "We are not only the owners of the evacuee land of Sindh but that of the entire Pakistan, as we were the ones who freed the country from the control of the British." According to the international treaty, he said, the property left by the Hindus in Pakistan and the Muslims in India would not be transferred nor could it be sold. Rather, it came under claims and we were the owners of the land in Sindh, but Sindhi Waderas got control of it.
He told the landlords of Sindh that 60 percent of the agriculture land that "you have annexed belongs to us, while 20 percent of the land was mortgaged. But we sacrificed that too for the cause of an Islamic country, as our emotions were high for an independent Islamic country. We never thought of fighting, but when it comes to our ideology we will not compromise.
"If the issues are related to our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (SAW), Karachi would stand up against it. Khursheed's sun has drowned in the sea."The emotionally-charged supporters, meanwhile, chanted slogans of 'Go Khursheed go.'
Announcing an end to the 'black day', Siddiqui asked the activists and followers to recognise their hidden enemy and asked for unity within the ranks and file of the community. He also announced holding similar protests and movements after Muharram for the right of Pakistanis and promised the movement would not end till the creation of 20 more provinces.
Siddiqui said, "This is a war between the Ashiqan-e-Rasool and Gustakhan-e-Rasool. We are being told that the MQM is becoming an extremely conservative party but we want to make it clear that we will not sit idle but will sacrifice our lives if anyone dares issue sacrilegious remarks against our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW)."
He said, "There is a vast difference between refugees and Mohajirs and that message has been conveyed to all and sundry and it must have reached the concerned quarters as the Ulema have given their verdict and that is final."
He added: "Today's public gathering in large numbers proved that people were hurt by the remarks of Khursheed Shah as people belonging to every class and community participated in the meeting."
Speaking on the occasion, MQM leader Farooq Sattar said that his party wanted an equal distribution of resources in urban and rural Sindh. "We want empowerment for both rural and urban Sindh." He argued that their struggle wasn't against rural Sindh but against the feudal lords who believed in oppression and hereditary politics. "This movement will create Jinnah's Pakistan in real terms," said Sattar.
Online adds: Speaking to party leaders and supporters via phone, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said that the people of Pakistan had given their verdict in favour of new provinces and new administrative units throughout Pakistan.
Addressing the office bearers of the MQM Hyderabad Zonal Office, Altaf Hussain said that the Urdu- and Sindhi-speaking people living in all cities of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sanghar, Tando Adam, Tando Allah Yar, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Kashmore, had proved today by observing a black day against the 'corrupt and tyrant PPP rule and PPP's ethnic bigotry' that Sindh and the rest of Pakistan needed new provinces and administrative units.
He said that a majority of Sindhis by observing the black day had proved that they favoured more administrative units. He said that new provinces and administrative units were the need of the hour. He thanked transporters, traders and people from all walks of life for making the black day a success. He also thanked the workers and sympathisers in Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir for taking part in a peaceful demonstrations.
PPI adds: Earlier, in view of the countrywide black day call given by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against the statement of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) MNA Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, business and social life in Karachi remained suspended on Sunday.
All the big markets and bazaars remained closed in the city. The government offices and most of the educational institutions were already closed due to the weekly holiday.
Police and Rangers were patrolling the city roads in order to avoid any untoward incident and control the law and order situation. A tense situation prevailed in the city as people preferred to stay in their homes because of security threats.
Attendance in the city hospitals also remained low and as a result patients and their attendants faced inconveniences. The city wore a deserted look as vehicular traffic remained thin on the roads. Commuters used taxis and rickshaws to reach their offices and other destinations.ding their control over the resources of entire Pakistan but "we will not let this oppression take root in the urban areas of Sindh".
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