Appearing from Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad & Quetta

Friday, November 6, 2009, Zhul-Q'ada 17, 1430

NRO against MQM manifesto: Altaf

M.I.Sheikh

Karachi—Asif Ali Zardari besides being President of Pakistan is my friend and brother and keeping in view this I would advise him that except for a few clauses the seventeenth amendment should be entirely revoked. Furthermore, Constitution of Pakistan’s article 58-2(B) should also be removed to empower the Parliament. MQM Chief Altaf Hussein stated this while a private TV channel was interviewing him on Wednesday.

Hussein said that people of the country have been compelled to form long queues so that they could get sugar. The industry is facing lock-up and millions of people have been rendered jobless. The power crisis is worsening every day and gas crisis is going to follow shortly. Presdinet Asif Ali Zardari should pay immediate attention to these problems of the masses.

Terrorism has engulfed Pakistan while Army officers and soldiers have been sacrificing their lives for the sanctity and integrity of the country.

I would expect that President Asif Ali Zardari would not get offended with my advices because these are being offered in the best interest of the country”, said Hussein adding that it was the duty of the government to take measures to help boost the moral of the armed forces of the country.

Hussein said that he wanted the democracy should continue in the country. Henceforth, these advices are being offered in the same line. Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity is supreme to all other mater and if it calls for sacrifices, President Zardari should not hesitate offering even his oneself to the country.

Responding to a question about the NRO, Hussein said that MQM would never support any such ordinance that could be in contrast to MQM’s manifesto. At present, corruption is the main topic that pertains to the issue of the NRO and it is clear that MQM and the corruption are opposite to each other. MQM would always stand away from corruption and vice versa.

Responding to another question that if the government would choose confrontation with the institution, would MQM quit the government as ally, Hussein said that he would advise the government not to choose the way of confrontation with the institutions because the country was already surrounded by various crises. Any confrontation would prove devastating to the democracy and democratic system of the government.

Hussein said that MQM would keep struggling for the continuation of the democratic system and the government. It would not be bad if President Zardari steps back for a bigger cause.

Hussein cited that the Pakistan Army had asked him to resign as leader of MQM against end of military operations against MQM and release of MQM’s activists. “I readily opted to resign for the safety of my people and transferred all powers to Chairman Azeem Ahmed Tariq”, claimed Hussein.

Hussein said that on behalf of 70 million Pakistanis, he would urge President Asif Ali Zardari that he should immediately transfer powers to the Parliament because this would be good for the democratic system, democracy and even for him as well. “I would also suggest that he should bring closer those PPP workers who had offered sacrifices, suffered imprisonment and were logged during time of hardship. He should seek their advices for onward action because these loyal PPP workers would offer him the best of advices.

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