Author: Altaf Hussain
Publication: The Times of India
Date: July 13, 2001
London-based Altaf Hussain, founder-leader,
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), is sceptical of the outcome of the Indo-Pak
talks slated for the coming weekend, when Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf and
India's Atal Behari Vajpayee will exchange views in Agra. Hussain maintains
what he's said several times before - ``Partition of the subcontinent was
the biggest blunder in the history of mankind'' he said during a recent
indiatimes.com live chat show:
Q.: Are you hopeful that the summit
between Musharraf and Vajpayee will yield something positive?
A.: I'm glad that the two nations
have begun a dialogue, but I'm not optimistic of the summit's outcome.
While prime minister Vajpayee is an elected head of state, general Musharraf
is not. I would be less reticent if both the heads of state were elected.
Q.: In your eyes, who is responsible
for disparity between average Pakistanis? Why are Muhajirs treated as second-class
citizens in Pakistan?
A.: Migrants from India to Pakistan
have not been treated at par with the Punjabis, and have been denied their
basic fundamental rights. They are discriminated and victimised. Muhajirs
were educated and skilled workers living in the trade capitals of undivided
India. After Partition, they were never allowed to mingle because of the
feudal system prevalent in Pakistan. The Punjabi establishment is responsible
for the bedlam in Pakistan and for the miserable condition of the Muhajirs.
The Punjabi establishment (not the oppressed Punjabis) is also responsible
for subjugating, victimising and discriminating the minorities including
the Sindhis and Balochis. They have been made a colony of the Punjabi establishment.
Anybody belonging to the deprived provinces is denied their rights, and
are termed as traitors or Indian agents.
Q.: Why don't you visit India?
A.: Unlike general Musharraf, who
is a dictator, I am answerable to millions of people. My followers have
urged me to visit India, and I wish to see the birthplace of my forefathers
and meet the people living there. If possible, during my visit I would
like to apprise them of the plight of the Muhajirs living in Pakistan and
use my all good offices to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Q.: If India bleeds with Kashmir,
and Pakistan with Karachi then how is it that Kashmir is the only agenda
for the summit?
A.: The strife in Kashmir traces
its route to the British, whereas the Pakistani army and the Punjabi establishment
have created the muhajir problem. As both the countries accuse each other
of occupying Kashmir the problem can be resolved through sincere dialogue
or negotiations. The muhajir issue is different because the muhajirs are
being killed by their own army and fellow Muslim brothers. To my mind,
the issue can be resolved only if the Muslims living in India and members
of the commonwealth countries exercise their influence.
Q.: Was Partition a mistake?
A.: The division of the subcontinent
was the biggest blunder in the history of mankind. The Partition not only
divided our land, but also divided Muslims into three parts.
Q.: Do the Pakistanis hate Indians?
A.: I assure you that Pakistanis
do not hate India or Indians. The Punjabi establishment and the feudal
lords have created this image for their own sustenance.
Q.: Can we undo the blunder we made
through Partition?
A.: Both the countries should learn
from the West. They have fought two world wars, killed millions of innocent
people and only then realised that war does not end hatred. Negotiations
and developing cordial relationships with each other are the only hope.
As citizens of countries we should convince our leaders that we do not
want war but lasting peace in the region. We have already fought three
wars, and have achieved nothing, but the destruction, orphans, widows,
poverty and disease. In the end friendly relations is the key to success
of both the countries.
Q.: Why is Pakistan so reluctant
to allow the reopening of the Indian consulate in Karachi? Why is it not
prepared to open the Khokhrapar border in Sindh?
A.: A majority of the immigrants
from the Khokhrapar border are muhajirs. Opening the border would end the
bribe and extortion that the Punjabi establishment extracts from the muhajirs
on the Punjab border.
Q.: Is it practical to run an organisation
in exile? How do you keep in touch with MQM activists in Pakistan?
A.: Students of history usually
learn from past experiences. And then go on to frame their own path to
achieve their objectives. For the first time a leader living in exile for
nine years has been able to guide a polity over the telephone, or through
letters and statements. Indeed, the telephone and IT has never ever been
used the way I have used them.
Q.: A widespread consensus seems
to be developing about the involvement of MQM in violent and terrorist
activities in Karachi, and this is being widely reported in the print and
electronic media of Pakistan. Is it just propaganda or is there some truth
in it?
A.: People are the best judge.
People have been voting in favour of the MQM since 1987. Such propaganda
is not new - Mandela and Yasser Arafat were termed as terrorists once.
Now these leaders are winning Nobel prizes. Those who struggle against
obsolete medieval unjust systems there are always termed as terrorists
by brute forces. I strongly deny any involvement of the MQM in any sort
of violence. MQM believes in democracy and is against all sorts of violent
terrorism.
Q.: Will a divided Pakistan be better
for Indo-Pak relations?
A.: The persistent brutal acts
of inflicting torture against many ethno-linguistic minorities will ultimately
force the victims to think about a right to self-determination, rather
than demanding their rights in the framework of a federation.
Q.: The muhajirs living in India
were forced to live in camps despite supporting the Pakistan army in East
Pakistan. If reality were to be repeated, what would you advise?
A.: Millions of Pakistanis are
still living tortuous lives in almost 66 Red Cross camps in
Bangladesh. No one except for the
MQM is struggling for their repatriation. It is the moral obligation of
the army and all political parties to support their repatriation. It is
the moral obligation of all those jehadis who raised their voice in favour
of the Bosnian Muslims, Kashmiris, Palestinians - why don't they concede
and raise their voice in favour of Pakistanis who are stranded for the
past 30 years?
Q.: MQM has built units all over
the world. Why does it not build a unit in India?
A.: India has allowed fundamentalist
organisations like the Jamait-e-Islami to have organs in India. Therefore,
it is India's democratic obligation to let us have an organ in India. We
would like to do so if India allows us to.
Q.: Can India and Pakistan form
a confederation for the bright future of the people in South Asia?
A.: I can only hope for the best,
as I do not have the power to influence the decisions. The answer is not
in my hands - I can just pray. If there was such an authority, it would
set another example like the European Union.