MQM leader advises Shah to issue public apology over ‘Muhajir’ comment

HYDERABAD: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and MPA, Abdul Haseeb Khan has advised Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah to get an apology published in newspaper over his statement against word ‘Muhajir’ and pull himself out of this controversy.

The MQM’s Rabita (coordination) Committee member was addressing a rally organised by the party’s local chapter outside Hyderabad Press Club on Monday to condemn Shah’s statement.

The party has already observed a 'black day' on Sunday in protest.

The rally was also addressed by Ghazi Salahuddin, the recently nominated coordinator to MQM’s Rabita Committee, MNA from Hyderabad Syed Wasim Hussain, MQM zonal in-charge Hyderabad Naveed Shamsi and others.

“Tender an apology and get the apology published in some newspaper to rid yourself of this controversy,” said Haseeb, mentioning that Khursheed Shah did not use word once but four times. He said that the PPP senior leader had surpassed all limits in his ‘Muhajir enmity’.

He alleged that by making this statement, Shah has bracketed himself with Salman Rushdie and Tasleema Nasreen.

Also read: MQM using ‘Muhajir’ statement to incite people’s emotions: Aitzaz

Abdul Haseeb observed that MQM has moved the court of law on this issue.

“We are awaiting judicial verdict on the case as it involves jagirdar and wadera (feudal lord). Let see what the court will do otherwise people will decide it,” he remarked. He said that MQM chief Altaf Hussain had always loved people who are living in different areas of Sindh and maintained that manifesto of Hussain and MQM is for everyone.

“You [Shah] will not find any place to hide,” he said.

While alluding to Sunday’s London event of Kashmiri million march where Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was not allowed to speak by activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the MQM leader criticised Bilawal for a statement on Eidul Azha in Karachi that he would ruin Altaf Hussain’s life in Lodnon.

Haseeb stated that while Bilawal was thinking of ruining MQM leader's life, his own life has become difficult in London.

Ghazi Salahuddin – formerly of PPP and former political secretary to then Sindh chief minister Jam Sadiq Ali – said that Khursheed Shah did apologise on the statement but actually needs to seek forgiveness from God Almighty and Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said that PPP government is creating sense of deprivation among Urdu speaking community.

Salahuddin, who belongs to Hyderabad and a columnist, recalled how Pir Mazharul Haq, former Sindh education minister whispered to then premier Raja Pervez Ashraf in Government College Hyderabad during his visit to his alma mater, telling him not to announce establishment of university for Hyderabad.

“If you push Urdu speakers against the wall, the slogan of Muhajir province is bound to be raised”, he said.

He also said that establishment had Bangladeshis against the wall in 70s. “They were dubbed as men with dark complexion, diminutive and people with smell of fish,” he said and added that then people witnessed that Bangladesh developed greatly and its currency outdone Pakistani rupee today.

Ghazi Salahuddin blamed PPP for considering Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah as their and people living there as their kamdars. He said that today people are with Altaf Hussain in Sindh, adding that no power on earth could break this relation.

Salahuddin said that while Khursheed Shah himself claimed that his ancestors had migrated from Baghdad, Iraq then why he is abusing himself.

"It seems Shah is using the same drink which [Sindh CM] Syed Qaim Ali Shah drinks", he said. He added that Sindh's captain (Qaim Ali Shah) was shown on a TV channel taking 'meethi need' (sweet sleep) in Mithi during his drought assessment visit of the area the other day.

"These people [PPP leaders] have come for sleeping", he added.

MNA Wasim Hussain said that creation of Muhajir province would be the logical end of this language used against the community by Khursheed Shah. He said that people would snatch Muhajir province for themselves.

Published in Dawn Web site