islamabad-The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Barrister Zafarullah, a petitioner, to check whether the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was registered under the chairmanship of Altaf Hussain or some other MQM leader.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, comprising Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing the petition of Barrister Zafarullah Khan.
During the hearing, the chief justice questioned what was the status of the MQM; whether the head of the party was duly elected? Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that the petitioner needed to name the MQM chief as a respondent in his application instead of writing “MQM chief”. Zafarullah said that it was clear that Altaf Hussain was running the party but the chief justice remarked that MQM was registered under Farooq Sattar’s name in Pakistan. The chief justice directed the applicant to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and find documents regarding the chairmanship of the MQM.
The petitioner, who had filed the petition under Article 184(3) read with articles 2A, 4,5,6,9 and 17, had made the Law Ministry, MQM chief, ECP and Pemra respondents.
The petition prays to the court to declare that MQM is operating in a prejudicial manner to the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan therefore it should be banned and dissolved by the federation. Altaf Hussain be declared enemy of Pakistan and the media coverage of his addresses be banned in the country.
“All the collaborators of Altaf Hussain should be punished under High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973 and chief of MQM should be brought to Pakistan by Interpol for trial of murder cases registered against him and in which he had been declared absconder since 1990.” Barrister Zafarullah said: “No political party is allowed to get involved in anti-Pakistan activities.” He contended that Altaf Hussain, a British national, in his telephonic address to its party workers on May 11, threatened the integrity of Pakistan.
The address speaks volumes of fascism and is direct clue to the target killings in Karachi, he added. “Such threats and killings in Karachi are the violation of fundamental rights.”
He stated that under Political Parties Order 2002, dual national could not hold the post of party head.
The hearing was adjourned for one week.