Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) conducted an online poll to decide that fate of party supremo Altaf Hussain.
In an unusual moves from the MQM leadership to conduct a poll on its website in which Hussain has asked:
Should I step down to save the party and the people?
The voting options are:
- Yes
- No
- Don’t Know
To participate in the poll Click here
Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif Tuesday said his recent speech was a deliberate move to smear Pakistan’s image around the world.
The defence minister said Hussain’s provocative statements at this juncture was an attempt to throw a spanner in the works so that Pakistan could not pursue its fence-mending efforts.
“No one should be allowed to exploit Mohajirs in the name of Mohajir,” said he dubbing Hussain’s as a ‘statement of a traitor.’Also the MQM Coordination Committee by endorsing their London-based leader’s statement has committed treason, added he.
Going forward, Asif stressed that instead of inciting the people from his London home, Hussain should return to Pakistan and face the cases registered against him.
“The MQM had been part of governments since 26 years in Sindh and peace in Karachi continued to deteriorate,” said he adding,” He should be held accountable for worsening Karachi peace.”
The MQM, often accused by its critics of using extortion and murder to cement its power in Karachi, has complained its workers have been unfairly targeted by security forces in a bid to curb its power.
The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating the MQM over money-laundering after a huge quantity of cash was reportedly found at party offices and Hussain’s home in London.
As well as the money-laundering case, British police are also probing the murder of MQM politician Imran Farooq in London in 2010.
Hussain controls the party from London, where he has lived in self-imposed exile since leaving Pakistan in the early 1990s, and now has British citizenship.
A BBC report last month said MQM members had told British police the party had received money and military training from Pakistan’s arch-rival India.
The party vehemently denied the allegations. (PhotoNews/Samaa Tv/Agencies)
