ISLAMABAD - In his strong reaction to Sunday night’s remarks of Altaf Hussain, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Monday said the language used by the MQM chief against the country’s security and defence institutions was not acceptable in any case.
In his clear and loud message, Nisar said the time had now come that this issue should be taken up with the British authorities as no one would be allowed to use the threatening tone and tenor against the country’s security agencies and their heads.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, Chaudhry Nisar said Altaf Hussain crossed all limits of decency and politeness in his speech. “Altaf used such a language against the country’s security and defence institutions as was not acceptable in any case,” Nisar said. Taking stern notice of Sunday night’ speech of the MQM chief, he said their enemy countries, especially India, had been using the same language against Pakistan since long.
Altaf Hussain in his Sunday night address to the convention of workers in Karachi had accused the Sindh Rangers director general and other officials of the paramilitary force of violating code of conduct of the army. Altaf questioned whether Rangers was a security force or a political party. He said the MQM was not against the army, but was against the rotten eggs in the institution, urging the chief of army staff to throw out these rotten eggs.
Nisar said in his statement that Altaf Hussain’s unethical remarks about Pakistan Army and Rangers and his accusations as well as threats to the respected people were not only incomprehensible but also intolerable. “We have tolerated too much but now time has come that the issue will have to be raised with the UK,” he said.
The interior minister, at the same time, appreciated Pakistani media for showing maturity and responsibility by avoiding live telecast of Altaf Hussain’s speech. “The language Hussain used with reference to the war of 1971 is being used by India,” he said.
“Pakistan, its army and Rangers are not responsible for the present situation Altaf Hussain is facing, but this is because of his own misdeeds,” he said, adding it looked Hussain was being cornered in the UK, so he was venting anger against Pakistan’s security agencies out of frustration, he said, adding Urdu-speaking community was civilised and cultured. “Is Altaf Hussain insulting his own community by using derogatory and below-morality remarks?” he questioned.
According to a private TV channel, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that he completely endorsed the statement given by the Interior Minister. “It is time now that Altaf Hussain’s case is taken up with the UK government,” he said. “Our hands can even reach UK,” he added.
FIR LODGED AGAINST ALTAF
IN JACOBABAD
Monitoring Desk adds: An FIR was lodged against MQM chief Altaf Hussain under section 153-A with Airport Police Station in Jacobabad on Monday, reported a private TV channel.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Abdul Khalid Soomro, leader of Tehreek Ahle-Sunnat Pakistan.
According to contents of the FIR, Altaf Hussain used inappropriate language against Pakistan’s defence and security forces. It said Altaf Hussain’s move was aimed at creating chaos in Karachi and the rest of Sindh. It said Altaf Hussain had also made a speech against Pakistani institutions on July 12.
The channel reported that London’s Metropolitan police has decided to launch an investigation into another controversial speech by MQM chief Altaf Hussain, almost a year after he was cleared of ‘incitement of hate speech’.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Rangers called an emergency meeting in Karachi Monday night in which sources said officials were also discussing the recent statements from the MQM chief.
In a late-night news conference, senior MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said the interior minister was suffering from Altaf-phobia. He strongly condemned Ch Nisar’s statement saying it had tried to create rift between Muhajirs and the party chief Altaf Hussain.
He said the operation that was launched to curb crimes in Karachi was being used to push the MQM to the wall.