Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Urdu:متحدہ قومی موومنٹ), generally known as MQM or simply Muttahida, translated as "United National Movement" in English, is a centre-left political organization of Pakistan. It is one of the largest political parties of Karachi, representing immigrants who migrated from India to Pakistan in 1947. MQM is the only Pakistani political party to grow out of a student organization although many people consider it to be a fascist part rather than a political one due to its use of violence in order to prove its ideology. The student organization, All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organization (APMSO), was started on 11 June 1978 at the University of Karachi by Altaf Hussain. Mr. Hussain remains its leader[1]. APMSO gave birth to Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) on 18 March 1984, which by 1991 "established a virtual monopoly over representation of the Urdu-speaking community in urban Sindh." [1]. Initially founded on quasi-socialist lines, the organization now maintain liberal, progressive and secular stances on many political and social issues.

On July 26, 1997, MQM officially removed the term Muhajir from its name, and replaced it with Muttahida ("United").[3] to, "further the programme of national development" and to carry out "a nation-wide campaign against feudal domination."[2] Most Pakistanis hold MQM directly responsible for the incident of May 12, 2007 which left more than 50 people dead in riots allegedly carried out with the blessing of the then President Parvez Musharraf.[citation needed]

MQM is officially branded a terrorist organization in Canada by Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs and it is very difficult for people to be associated with it to be accepted as citizens of Western countries. [1]

The MQM is one of few socially liberal political parties in Pakistan, and organized the the largest rallies in Pakistan that protested the actions of al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001, and demonstrated sympathy with the USA. Recently, the MQM has begun an anti-Taliban campaign in Karachi to stop pathan coming to karachi, MQM blame on Pathan presence in karachi what they wrongly blame is a "Talibanization" of Karachi by Pashtun supporters of the nominally socialist Awami National Party.

Prominent members

With regards to the philosophy of “realism and practicalism”, Mr Altaf Hussain has time and again expressed his views during his addresses.

* Tariq Javed - Senior Deputy Convener of MQM's Coordination Committee.
* Dr. Farooq Sattar - MQM's Deputy Convenor and party's parliamentary leader in National Assembly of Pakistan. Minister for Pakistani overseas
* Dr.Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan - Governor of the Sindh province.
* Mustafa Kamal - City Nazim (Mayor) of Karachi.
* M Anwar - Member Central Coordination Committee.
* M Ashfaq - Member Central Coordination Committee.
* Mustufa Azizabadi - Member Central Coordination Committee.
* Kiswar Zehwar in charge women wing
* Babar khan Ghauri minister of Port and Shipping for second term. Ex. Rabitta comitte member
* Saleem Butt speaker Azad Jamu Assembly . Muthathda ki jeet in Azad Kashmir

* javeed Ahmedtown nazim and member of allamla committe.
* Haider Abbas RizviMediacenter master mind he prove true worker of MQM at every level
* arif khan nazim
* Dilowar nazim
* Hamad incharge K.T.C. young worker
* Faisal Sabzwari
* Abdul Rashid Godil

Political Ideology

Mr Altaf Hussain, Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), has stated that if an ideology is true with strong belief then the truthful power of the ideology overcomes all the territorial restrictions and crosses the geographical boundaries. Mr Hussain was addressing a study circle at the MQM International Secretariat in London.

Mr Hussain said that a true ideology is neither dependent nor confined to geographical boundaries. By studying the Islamic history we learn that the ideology of Islam originated from a small city of Mecca. The non-muslims of Mecca imposed obstructions and restrictions to prevent the spread and prosperity of this ideology. Even Mohammad and his companions were so brutally oppressed that they decided to migrate to Medina. However, in the end, with the power of ideology, Mecca, from where Mohammad and his companions were compelled to migrate, was conquered. Subsequently, the entire Arab peninsula was conquered and the ideology of Islam crossed all geographical boundaries and even reached Europe. If we analyse any true ideology, either religious or scientific, then we come to the conclusion that a true ideology is neither dependent nor is confined to geographical boundaries. In comparison, a true ideology never changes with alterations in the geographical boundaries. A geographical area has its borders whereas a true ideology has no bounds and so it cannot be limited or confined to geographical boundaries. Moreover, the ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities can be limited to a certain geographical area whereas a true ideology based on facts, can never be limited to the restrictions of the geographical boundaries. If an originator of a true ideology were physically detained in a geographical boundary, even then his ideology would spread across the globe, crossing all the limitations of geographical boundaries. For example, if we take the religions of Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism then we see that the followers of these religions are present in every part of the world, which means these religious ideologies are not confined or restricted to a certain geographical boundary. Similarly, the scientific ideologies and theories presented by Einstein, Newton, Archimedes or others are not confined to geographical limitations. In fact, the universal truthfulness of these scientific ideologies and theories has made these ideologies to spread to every nook and corner of the world overcoming all territorial restrictions.

Mr Hussain said that those who try to confine and limit an ideology within a geographical boundary, in fact, are working against that ideology and committing a crime. Such people are the enemies of that ideology. Mr Hussain said that he has presented his views on “ideology and geographical boundaries” and would be happy and welcome constructive and educated comments from intellectuals.

Making of MQM

On purely linguistic grounds, APMSO restructured as "Muhajir Qaumi Movement" on March 18, 1984.On August 8 1986, the very first public meeting organized by MQM at Karachi's Nishtar park was marked by a huge outcome of people from karachi despite extreme weather conditions. Nearly 3 million people were reported to be present at the first meeting which was organized by the MQM which itself is highly speculative figure.

Involvement in organized crime

MQM is believed to be actively involved in collecting ransom from shop owners, small businesses, and factories and mills owners in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad. These people are generally threatened with death in case they don't provide funds to the party. The money collected from ransom is believed to be the major source of income for the party's leader Altaf Hussain. This fact is referenced by the chief of another political party Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, in an interview on GEO News' program Capital Talk.

MQM is also believed to have influenced media notably TV channels and billboards to convey its message in its favor across the country. These include forcing the TV news presenters to understate the criminal activites including firing on civilians by the MQM party activists caught on tape by these channels and the illegal use of billboards without having bought advertising space for their campaigns.

MQM is also believed to be involved in the murder of the chairman of a well known conglomerate Hamdard, Hakim Mohammad Saeed, in Karachi in a show of strength to the establishment of the country.

1992 military operation

In Sindh, an operation was launched by Pakistan Army on June 19, 1992. Altaf Hussain, the founder of MQM, was urged by his followers to leave the country and relocate in London 6 months prior to the operation.

Altaf Hussain and several other MQM leaders and workers were accused of being involved in the kidnapping and torture of a Pakistan Army, Major in 1991.

On Monday, August 13, 2007, Major Kaleem Case was dismissed by a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Hamid Ali Mirza and Ghulam Rabbani for non-prosecution since the Sindh Government withdrew its appeal, and Major Kaleem and his counsel failed to appear. [17] This brought another huge shame on the face of country proving miserable failure of judicial system.

On November 1994, the army was withdrawn from law enforcement duties in Sindh, to be replaced with paramilitary Rangers and specially trained police.

Contention with the government

Since his self-exile to UK, Altaf Hussain has alleged Pakistan's government of "Isolation, Criminalization and Demoralization." Mr. Hussain says that soon after MQM liberated its original constituency, the Muhajirs, from "the clutches" of the politicized clergy, especially that of Jamaat-e-Islami, it was decided to spread the MQM’s circle of influence and ground work to the rest of Pakistan. "We organised the historical national festival in 1990 and announced that the Muhajir Quami Movement (Muhajir National Momement) will be transformed into Muttahida Quami Movement (United National Movement) on 14th August 1992," he said.

Recent trends

MQM, initially focused on only the Urdu-speaking people, who migrated to Pakistan after the independence in 1947. Since 1997, it has claimed to aim downtrodden masses at the national level, with a manifesto to improve low social and economic status of the Sindh. Although it has claimed to a national political party, working in all major cities of Pakistan, its representation in non-Urdu-speaking areas remains negligible. Altaf Hussein has not been welcomed outside Muhajirs for many controversial statements especially the one, declared 'division of India and creation of Pakistan the biggest blunder in history', during a speech in India. In August 2005, Haq Parast candidates won the municipal elections in Karachi, Hyderabad. [2]

MQM supported former President Musharraf in federal government along with the very controversial PML-Q, but in the course of such support it has lost its own viewpoint on various issues including LFO, Kalabagh Dam and the NFC Award.