Mohajirs considered as 'anti-national' in Pak: MQM Chief

London [UK]: The founder leader of Pakistan's political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain claimed that the Mohajirs in Pakistan were considered "anti-national", adding that they were being "deported and killed" by the Pakistani forces.

In a video message, Hussain, living in exile in the UK, asserted that Pakistan was suppressing the fundamental rights of the Mohajirs as well as other communities such as Sindhis, Qawwalis, Pashtuns and Baloch people and the army were carrying out extrajudicial killings on them.

"Instead of providing rights to the citizens, they have only caused incidents of missing people and used gun power. There is a clear violation of human rights on the minorities," said Hussain.

Commenting on the Punjabi community, which comprises the majority ethnic group in the country, Hussain claimed, "Punjabis are getting all the benefits. They have captured the land resources there. The army and the judiciary are supporting them. The Punjabis have strengthened their hold on different government posts. Their dominance has totally sidelined us. (Mohajirs and other communities) We are being treated as slaves."

"The Pakistan army conducted murders of Mohajirs. The Mohajirs created the infrastructure which was then occupied by the Punjabis later on," he said.

Terming Balochistan as an "occupied colony of Pakistan army", Hussain added that the armed forces have captured Balochistan forcefully in the name of eliminating insurgency in the province.

Talking about the plight of the Mohajirs in Pakistan, Hussain alleged that the community has remained poor even after 70 years of independence.

The term 'Mohajir' is used to describe the Urdu-speaking immigrants, who left India in 1947 and came to Pakistan. A large chunk of them settled in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

He also said that the citizens in the country were not getting fair justice, since the courts were not "independent", as enshrined in the Pakistan Constitution and that politicians and army forces were colluding with vested interests.

Continuing his tirade against the Pakistan army, the MQM chief further said that the army was "corrupt" and was meddling in defence deals along with the government. He also blamed the army for causing political instability in the country and the authorities for failing to take action on corrupt officials.

"Never ever an army general or judge has been convicted of war crimes or wrong judgement," Hussain underscored.

Discussing the slain MQM leader Professor Dr. Hassan Zafar Arif, he said that Pakistan's military establishment assassinated him in custody because he "refused to take dictation and live like a slave."

Professor Arif was found dead in his car in Karachi's Ilyas Goth area on January 14, a day after his abduction.

According to him, the Pakhtoon community, demanding freedom from Pakistan, is directly pointing at the military establishment as the main culprit behind the genocide of minorities in Pakistan and terrorism.

Hussain said that Pakhtoon community has been enslaved by the Pakistani military establishment.

The firebrand leader regretted that it was his "mistake" that he had forgiven the Pakistan army for its brutalities committed on minorities in Pakistan.

Hussain further said that the MQM was formed as a liberal, progressive, democratic and a secular party to help the distressed minorities in the country. He also called on the Baloch, Sindhis, Pashtuns and other communities to join and launch a movement against the Pakistan army's "genocide acts".