Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Gaius Cornelius (talk | contribs) at 00:26, 18 January 2007 (Fix Capitalisation using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 00:26, 18 January 2007 by Gaius Cornelius (talk | contribs) (Fix Capitalisation using AWB)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

File:MQM Flag.jpg

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Urdu: متحدہ قومی موومنٹ) generally known as MQM, is a political party in Pakistan founded and currently led by Altaf Hussain. It originated as an ethnic student organization in 1978 from University of Karachi . The students movement later turned into an influential political party of Sindh. Later on July 26 1997, MQM officially changed its name from Muhajir Qaumi Movement to Muttahida Quami Movement .

Political history

Background

Muhajir are ethnic Urdu speaking Muslim linguistic group that migrated to Pakistan after independence in 1947. Muhajirs were welcomed in Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan (first Prime Minister of Pakistan) himself a Muhajir is said to have fast forwarded Muhajirs in civil service. Before 1947, most of businesses were owned by Hindus, their departure to India was followed by allotments of businesses to selected group of Muhajirs (Urdu Speaking) as compensation to their businesses in India. After the death of Liaquat Ali Khan, the rise of military intervention in governmental affairs and public sectors cornered Muhajirs.

General Muhammad Ayub Khan seized the presidency of Pakistan in a military coup amid political chaos. General Ayub Khan allegedly was against the special treatment for Muhajirs on important positions in civil service, bureaucracy and local government that lead their over representation. The subsequent administration of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto went on to nationalizing businesses which effected businesses owned by Muhajirs.

Muhajirs only constituted 7.44% of the Pakistani population. This created resentment in other ethnic groups of Pakistan, and in order to accommodate them, the administration of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto enforced a quota system at university and governmental level. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs.

Formation of APMSO

In the context of aforesaid scenario, group of Urdu speaking students of University of Karachi established a student wing in June 11, 1978, named, All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation (APMSO) led by Altaf Hussain. On 11 June 2006 Founder of APMSO & MQM Mr. Altaf Hussain announced to change the name of All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation to All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation, which will act the as the students' organisation for the whole Pakistani nationals

Making of MQM

In order to fill the political vacuum and bridge the gap between Urdu speaking faction and concerned authorities of government, APMSO restructured as Muhajir Qaumi Movement on March 18, 1984 . NOW, the name is of APMSO (All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organization).

1992 military operation

In order to crush this insurgency in Urban areas of Sindh, an operation was launched by Pakistan Army in June 19, 1992. Altaf Hussain, the founder of MQM, had already fled to London 6 months prior to the operation in order to avoid prosecution, where he is currently taking a refuge in England. Chaos, mugging, murder, rape and terror reigned on the streets of karachi months prior to the military operation. But, kidnapping of a serving army officer(Major)and brutal killing was arguably the straw that broke camel's back. Letters MQM were reportedly carved on the body of "shaheed"or"martyered"army officer according to independent Pakistani newspapers. Government finally reponded with force Arresting alleged terrorists and there were allegations of extra judicial killing known as "Encounter" and "Police Muqaabla".MQM soon realised they have overestimated the patience of federal government and sued for peace, the 1992 operation according to independent analysis crippled mqm's ability to use terror tacticts and it has never been able to regain pre 1992 power. Warrants were issued for Altaf Hussain and he is still on the "wanted"list of Pakistani authorities.

1992 military opertion led to splitting of MQM into two factions . The majority faction was led by Altaf Hussain, whereas the smaller faction, MQM (H), retained the original name, Mohajir Qaumi Movement. This split resulted in the bloodiest times of Karachi's history, when rival factions started targeting each other .

On November 1994, army was withdrawn from law enforcement duties in Sindh, to be replaced with paramilitary Rangers and specially trained police. To remove extremist elements from the party, Government of Pakistan adopted a policy of extra-judicial killing, instead of prosecution. Between 1995 and 1996, hundreds of proclaimed offenders with active association with MQM were extra-judicially killed by Rangers and police, sometimes in cold blood. (Pakistan Chronology 1947-1997, published by Ministry of Information and Media, ISBN 969-507-000-0)

The crackdown on MQM successfully eliminated terrorist elements, and restored order in Karachi, but the atmosphere in which it was carried out raised several human rights concerns. Primary reason cited by the then President, Farooq Leghari, on the dismissal of Benazir Bhutto's government in 1996, was also human right abuses committed during crackdown on the MQM.

Changing name

After 1996, surviving tough years of military operation, MQM moved away from terrorist elements, and at the same time emerged as a party representing poor Urdu speaking people of Karachi and Hyderabad. On July 26, 1997, MQM leadership in a hope to enlarge its base, and also to differentiate themselves from the other faction of MQM, changed the party name to Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Later in the next national elections in 2002, MQM emerged as the single most popular representation of Urdu Speaking community, demonstrating total rejection of the breakaway faction of MQM by the masses.

Recent trend

MQM initially targeted just the Urdu speaking people, who migrated to Pakistan after the independence in 1947. Since 1997, it has started to aim downtrodden masses at the national level, with a manefesto to improve low social and economic status of the Sindh. Although it has turned into a national political party, working in all major cities of Pakistan, its representation in non-Urdu speaking areas remains negligible.

MQM boycotted 2001 municipal elections but participated in 2002 national election and secured most of the urban areas seats in Sindh province. Altaf Hussain supported, General Pervez Musharraf's U-turn on Afghan-policy after 9-11 attacks.

In August 2005, Haq Parast candidates, supported by MQM, won the municipal elections in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas and many other cities of Sindh. The daily Dawn editorial

At present, MQM is an ally of President Musharraf in federal government but still has its own viewpoint on various issues including LFO, Kalabagh Dam and NFC Award.

MQM tried to change it's policy which restrained it to Urdu speaking people recently, opening offices in other provinces including Punjab (formerly MQM was famous for anti-Punjab attitude) with no success. This policy according to various circles is an attempt by musharraf to strengthen his rule and has badly backfired. MQM was successful in winning two seats in Azad Kashmir national assembly, although most of pro-mqm votes were casted in the camps established for earthquake survivors in karachi and there was allegations of rigging but results were not challenged in courts

Opposing views

It is generally believed in Pakistan that MQM was created by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), main military intelligence agency in Pakistan. Many people from Karachi and other parts of Pakistan have very strong views about MQM, due to their role in Karachi's law and order situation. It was created to break the stronghold of Benazir Bhutto in her home province, Sindh. ISI believed that the ethnic tension between Sindhis and Muhajirs will distract Benazir Bhutto and her political party, Pakistan Peoples Party, from launching campaign against the military government of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Altaf Hussain was living in Chicago at that time and he was called to form a Muhajir ethnic political party with funds supplied by ISI.

The success of MQM in attracting support of Muhjairs both surprised and scared the ISI. This unexpected popularity helped MQM to chart its own independent political course rather than follow the ISI agenda. MQM went out of control of ISI and began a violent struggle for Muhajirs that turned Karachi into a virtual war-zone. In 1992, after months of extreme violence by the MQM, Pakistan Army launched a military operation to restore law and order in Karachi. The MQM gunmen were killed or arrested, armories and torture rooms were destroyed. The Army involvement is an indication of the seriousness of the crisis that MQM perpetrated in Karachi. Since the army operation and subsequent heavy activities of Pakistani police and paramilitary, the MQM has given up it's extreme violent past although it is wide knowledge that it is still involved in 'jagga tax' extortion in areas of its influence in Karachi and other urban parts of the province of Sindh

Misplaced Pages