MESSAGE OF PEACE, LOVE AND BROTHERHOOD SHOULD BE GIVEN IN RABIUL AWAL: ALTAF HUSSAIN

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the message of peace, love and brotherhood should be preached during the holy month of Rabiul Awal. He said that the MQM has been making practical efforts for the religious harmony and unity among the Muslims. He was addressing a large gathering of Ulema belonging to different schools of thought in the Lal Qila Ground Azizabad in connection with the holy month of Rabiul Awal.

Deputy Convener of the Co-ordination Committee Anis Ahmed Qaimkhani and other members besides office-bearers of different wings of the MQM were also present on the occasion.

Mr Hussain said that Islam is the religion of peace and security but there were certain callous and hard-hearted people who were propagating hatred from the pulpit of mosques.

Mr Hussain said that conspiracies were being hatched to ignite Shia-Sunni sectarian strife in which lives of innocent people were being lost. He said that this was being done to undermine the environment of peace and unity for which the MQM had worked so hard.

Mr Hussain said that whether the murdered person belonged to a Shia family or a Sunni family, the grief of the mourning families was alike. He said that it was time that the people boldly denounced the preachers of hate and spoke clearly that such elements had nothing to do with Islam. He said that the elements conspiring to kill innocent people were, in fact, munafiqeen wanting to undermine the unity among Muslims by setting them against each other.

Mr Hussain condemned the murders of doctors, lawyers and Ulema of different schools of thought and said that it was being done to create Shia-Sunni tension in the city. Citing the killing Dr Mohsin Jafri, who was the trustee of an Imam Bargah and Taseer Abbas, he said that such senseless killing should be condemned by Shia and Sunni Ulema alike.

Mr Hussain asserted that targeting and killing innocent people on the basis of sectarian differences was barbaric and such persons did not deserve any leniency. He said that the government must provide adequate security to the people and bring the killers to justice.

Mr Hussain said that the Holy Quran clearly says that there is no compulsion in the matter of religion yet some elements always want to force their version of Islam on others. He said that there was no room for jabr (compulsion) in Islam. He said that the MQM had always been working for a society based on the social justice and freedom where everyone was free to follow his religion without any fear.

Mr Hussain asked the Ulema to educate the younger generation about the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the traits of his noble character in simple language.

Ulema present on the occasion included Maulana Tanvirul Haque Thanvi, Allama Akram Hussain Tirmizi, Allama Azhar Hussain Naqvi, Allama Ameer Abdullah Farooqi, Maulana Murtaza Rehman, Allama Abbas Kumaili, Maulana Hafiz Qadir, Maulana Saeed Qamar Qasmi, Allama Waqar Hassan Taqvi, Maulana Faisal Aziz, Mufti Abdul Aleem Qadri, Mirza Yousuf Hussain, Molana Asad Thanvi and many others.

The programme started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Maulana Tanvirul Haque Thanvi. The Ulema commended the efforts being made by the MQM and Mr Altaf Hussain for promoting religious harmony, peace and brotherhood.

Address to "Prosperous Sindh, Strong Pakistan" Public Meeting in Sukkur

SINDH NEEDS PEACE, LOVE AND BROTHERHOOD: ALTAF HUSSAIN

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that no one in the province of Sindh would be left unemployed if Sindh was given its due share. He asked if the country can survive if the 70 per cent revenue generated by the Sindh province was taken out.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM was the only political party that had not signed the NFC Award for over five years. It was the MQM that opposed the Kalabagh Dam project because the people of Sindh had rejected it.

“Which political party had presented the bill on Karo-Kari, Women Rights in the National Assembly? Will be people of Sindh not think about it and remain helpless before the feudal lords and thieves?”
“It is the time for the people of Sindh to decide that they will get elected the candidates from the poor and middle class nominated by the MQM and inflict a crushing defeat on the feudal lords.”

Addressing the so-called Sindhi nationalists he said, “Your politics of divide and rule has come to an end. The Urdu-speaking Sindhis and the Sindhi-speaking Sindhis have united like an iron wall. Today’s public meeting has driven the last nail in the coffin of the so-called nationalists, and it has rejected hatred.”

“We all need peace, love and brotherhood and this was the message given by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.”

“The province of Sindh contributes over 70 per cent in the national exchequer. If it is given its due share according to its population and according to its contribution, feudalism, barbarism and injustices prevailing in Sindh will come to an end. Schools will be opened, educational institutions will be established, centres for women development will be built, and technical universities would be set up. The people of Sindh will work hard and provide a life of dignity and honour for their children.”

“If the province of Sindh is given its legitimate share, no one will remain unemployed here. We have to make Pakistan strong by making Sindh prosperous.”

“The MQM manifesto embodies the Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The rich and the poor, the black and the white, and the servant and the master are all equal before Allah.”

“When Altaf Hussain speaks about the revolution it means bringing a change. It means abolishing the age-old and rotten feudal system and breaking the status quo. The change means giving the reign of power in the hands of the poor and middle class people and doing away with the culture of dynastic politics.”

“How long will the people of Sindh continue to lead a life of helplessness before the feudal lords and not think about bringing a change in their circumstances? Today Sindh needs a genuine leadership instead of thieves and robbers.”

“We should remove the distinction of new Sindhi and old Sindhi by embracing each other. We are all Sindhis. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said that the Muslims must get united. The Muslims are free to go to their mosques, the Hindus are free to go to their temples, and the Christians are free to go to their Churches. We are all Pakistanis, and the religion is a personal matter. I detest the word minority. Hindus, Christians or people belonging to any other religion are all Pakistanis.”

“I say to the people of Sindh, particularly the younger generation, and I humbly request that the law and order situation in Sindh should be improved. Incidents of kidnappings for ransom and tribal feuds should be finished.”

“Sukkur has always been neglected. Federal and provincial governments must allocate additional funds for development works in Sukkur. The federal and provincial governments should contribute equal funds for building a hospital with modern facilities in Sukkur.”

“There is no university in Sukkur and other adjoining areas hence a university should be established in Sukkur for the promotion of higher education. A medical college and Polytechnic institutes should also be established. The condition of Ghulam Muhammad Mehr Medical College should be improved for imparting medical education in a better way.”

“Electricity and gas supply in Sukkur and the adjoining areas should be ensured. Railways system in Sukkur has also worsened. Special funds should be made available for the rehabilitation of the Railways system in Sukkur.”

Mr Hussain announced one million rupees for Sukkur Press Club and called for establishing an institution for giving training to the journalists.

Mr Hussain said that doctors were killed in Karachi under a conspiracy and Shia, and Sunni lawyers were being killed. He sympathised with the bereaved family members and said that the people of Pakistan would frustrate the nefarious conspiracy to create Shia-Sunni strife by remaining united.

Mr Hussain said that if the religious and political parties want Pakistan to survive and prosper, they should raise the slogan of finishing the feudal system.

Mr Hussain thanked journalists and media persons for covering the Sukkur public meeting. He also praised the MQM office-bearers and workers who worked day and night for the Sukkur public meeting.