Sikandar Noorani
VERDICT on Imran Farooq murder case reminds us of a few dark chapters of dirty politics soaked in violence, crime and exploitation of public sentiments. While sentencing life imprisonment to three culprits, ATC decision clearly spells out that order for tragic murder was given by UK based Altaf Hussain, the founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). ATC also issued perpetual arrest warrant for Altaf Hussain and three of his close aides including Muhammad Anwar. The tragic homicide, the murderers and the master minds provide all ingredients for a classic case study which should thoroughly examine the rise and fall of Altaf Raj in urban Sindh. A thunderous entry in urban Sindh’s politics in the mid-eighties elevated Altaf to the pedestal of national politics, over a night, once MQM (then Mohajir Qomi Movement) swept 88 elections. PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto had to visit Nine Zero, primarily to seek MQM’s essential support to fulfil the numbers’ deficiency for prime ministerial chair. It is no time to dwell upon that how the PPP government came to a very quick end and why rival forces could not let each other survive in power chair. However, the pretext was made to highlight the king maker status of MQM chief in those days’ politics. MQM has been successfully playing an open double game with ruling parties; an ally in Parliament and a foe out of Parliament! Against mature minded genuine political leadership of national stature, Altaf and his Mohajir Quami Movement came up with a populist but highly poisonous racist linguistic based slogans. He urged the Urdu-speaking community to unite under MQM flag against discriminatory dominance of Sindhi, Punjabi and Pashtun communities.
Altaf persistently ignited public sentiments through fiery speeches revolving around violent provocative prejudiced themes. Outbreak of ethnic violence hitting at precious lives and properties threw Urban Sindh in quagmire of fear, instability and linguistic polarization. Altaf and his MQM emerged on urban Sindh’s political landscape as the prime beneficiaries of violent ethnic polarization. Political opponents of MQM had to contest the election against the Kalashnikov! As a logical outcome of ultra-violent ethnic gang war, Altaf slipped to UK in the early nineties. He has been controlling urban Sindh, MQM and ruling parties of Sindh and Centre by exploiting the parliamentary number game. His policy of zero tolerance towards dissenters and rebels was famous. Imran Farooq was not the first victim, prior to him many less popular and some very prominent companions met similar fate. Shocking murder of MQM co-founder and Chairman Azeem Ahmed Tariq in 1993 was also attributed to serious party in fight and differences with all powerful Quaid-e-Tehreek. His loyal party comrades used to strike fear in the hearts of dissenters with terrifying wall chalking “Traitors of the Leader, Deserve Death” (Jo Quaid Ka Ghaddar Hay Who Mout Ka Haqdar Hay). Muhammad Anwar, a close aide and partner of Altaf in murder case, has started spilling beans, against his master and the party, immediately after the announcement of verdict. A few years back, the same Anwar of MQM- London regretted to comment on some serious allegations by taking refuge in ailment causing serious memory loss.
Surprisingly, Anwar’s memory has started doing well on account of Altaf’s deep RAW connection and Indian funding to destabilize the urban Sindh through terrorism, ethnic polarization and hate mongering. Anwar’s disclosures are just reconfirmations as urban Sindh has actually undergone the torture and the real stakeholders are very much aware of the Altaf’s destructive ways. Four attacks on Sindh Rangers in a single day should not be delinked with certain significant developments taking place at internal and regional chessboard. UK based Altaf Hussain and his notorious London Secretariat by no means represent the people of urban Sindh and Pakistani politics. Serious allegations of Indian funding and RAW connections appear more realistic and horrible amid multiple confessions from top New Delhi spokespersons and decision makers. What all Indian National Security Advisor Ajeet Doval described about Pakistani linguistic pressure groups, during his address in a University, has proved correct so far! Altaf Hussain and some dubious foreign-based Sindhi nationalists are being projected and promoted by Indian media as the saviours of Sindh. Ethnic fire is being constantly fuelled with hateful themes in the KP and Baluchistan as well by New Delhi! India is openly moving the strings of all foreign based dubious ethnic hatemongers with an announced agenda of disintegrating Pakistan on ethnic basis. This is an Indian anti-dote for ideology of Pakistan. New Delhi is dangerously fixed with the flawed policy of shrouding the internal embarrassments on Kashmir and Islamophobia by fanning an anti-Pakistan rhetoric. This may work momentarily with the brain washed internal audience but befooling the world with a pack of lies for a longer duration is not possible. Altaf Hussain recently urged US congress to support the separation of Sindh from Pakistan. Islamabad should hit back with full force to counter the renewed curse of Indian pawns hovering over the State.
—The writer is a free lancer who often contributes in national newspapers.
