MQM: Setting the record straight
By Jan Assakzai
This is a rejoinder to Mr Kunwar Khalid Yunus, “In defence of Karachiites” published on May 31 in the Daily Times.
This is a rejoinder to Mr Kunwar Khalid Yunus, “In defence of Karachiites” published on May 31 in the Daily Times.
Pakhtuns’ population in Karachi on its surface seems not likely to have made Mr Yunus a happy man. But independent International observers, some NGOs and sources from Wikipedia, and "Front Line World"-Focus- a report produced in association with the New York Times”, put the number of Pakhtuns around 7 million in Karachi.
Additionally, the current census offers language choice instead of ethnic choice, hence does not take into account the number of Pakhtuns, Punjabis and other communities who have lost fluency in first language-Pakhtu, Punjabi etc-and now speak Urdu thus codified as Urdu speaking population.
The allegation of MQM that Hazarawal might be involved in the killing of Pakhtuns is base less. In this regard,I would draw the attention of Mr Yunus to all those media statements that leaders of Suba Hazara have been giving to distance themselves from the targeted killing of the Pakhtuns in Karachi and to the statements of ANP leaders in which they endorsed the Haraza suba leadership stance on this issue.
The MQM failed to pit Hazarawals against Pakhtuns, hence could not absolve its militant wing of the responsibility of killing Pakhtuns in Karachi .
Yes! Mr Yunus, militant wing that the MQM has. This is not my mere allegation. All the government agencies corroborate that the MQM has a military wing. (May 23, The News). The report was ordered by the Interior Ministry with input from all the official security stakeholders in Karachi, including the Sindh Police, Special Branch, IB, ISI, Rangers and the Interior Ministry.
The report indicted the MQM that it’s militant wing has special tasks “to create law and order situation for achieving political ends”.
The report also indirectly indicted the MQM that “ eighty-three (Yes-83) police officers involved in earlier operations against the MQM, were eliminated in targeted killing “which has adversely affected the morale of police force”.
Another report “‘State of the Human Rights in 2009” by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) says that nearly 300 people were targeted killings. Most of these victims happened to be Pakhtuns and the MQM Urdu speaking dissidents. Since May19, at least 44 Pakhtuns have been killed by the MQM’s militant wing,( Source: JI, June, 01, The News).
As far as Pakhtuns’ involvement with land mafia, the report of the Interior Ministry also indicted the MQM that as part of its ethnic resettlement in Pakhtun areas, the group is complicit with land grabbers. Thus the black kettle calling the pot black. Not to mention the missus of amenity plots for residential purposes and illegal encroachments as alleged by the report.
That ANP might loose next elections is not because all Pakhtuns will join the MQM but because the MQM is working on a pre-planned demographic engineering to turn Pakhtun majority areas into minority by resettling Urdu speaking people, grabbing Pakhtun owned properties with the connivance of the now- defunct anti- Pakhtun City government of Mustafa Kamal- to ensure the defeat of ANP in the next election. A fact noted even by the Interior Ministry report.
The MQM is trying to expand its influence by new settlements of Urdu speaking people in areas dominated by not only Pakhtuns but also Balochs which include Rehmanabad, Junejo Town, Khuda ki Basti, Gutter Bagheecha etc.
Mr Yunus blames Pakhtun community being associated with extremism. But he is only harping on the media stereotypes which are the baseline of misrepresentation and outright lies about Pakhtun culture.
Current wave of militancy and extremism in Pakhtun areas is the byproduct of militant infrastructure nurtured over decades as Pakistan’s Afghan policy tool. Pakistan was feeling its way forward in Afghanistan, attempting to find the means to increase its geo-political stature through elements of Mujaheddin, later Taliban across the border, and develop new tools of influence in Pakhtun areas through religio-political forces, including MMA and Saudi-funded religious seminaries hence deliberately promoting extremism in, otherwise, tolerant Pakhtun society.
For the record, Pakhtun culture is far from extremism and Taliban. It is reflected in Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan) and Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai’s non-violent movement, in the mysticism of Rahman Baba’s poetry and in the romanticism of Ghani Khan’s poetry. Mr Yunus may still remember that when the entire muslim population of India gave in to communal politics in 1937 and 1946 elections, Pakhtuns were still not swayed by it, because religion- as a political instrument- has never been the cornerstone of Pakhtun political culture.
This is a society that produced hundreds of anti-Taliban lashkars and their leaders all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA to get ride of the menace of Al Qaeda and its allies, the Taliban despite being under their virtual hold. Thousands of Lashkar Leaders, political workers and even Assembly members were target killed why because they insisted that Talibanisation is the antithesis of Pakhtun culture. So Mr Yunus is trying to take a cheap shot at the Pakhtun culture and politics by linking the Pakhtun community with extremism.
Mr Yunus’s assertion on MQM’s workers’ alleged killing, fits in with the current strategy of the group: keep Pakhtun community in the spotlight and play up group’s alleged victimisation as outrage builds in the wake of the targeted killings of Pakhtuns in Karachi.
However, Pakhtuns do not oppose the entire Urdu-speaking community in Karachi and wish to live in peace and cooperation with them. But they oppose fascism, whether a fascist is wearing jeans or turban hence deserve the support of Pakistan’s establishment, democratic political forces, human rights groups, the media and civil society in this just cause.
Comments
According to 1998 census the number of pastuns including the Hazara, and people from Chitral, D.I Khan living in karachi stands at 11,27000.
it is realy hard to understand on what rate Pushtuns are multiplying in Karachi that, in just 12 years they increased to 7 Million and even beat the record growth rate of Pigs and Dogs.
If Pushtuns are are multiplying on this ratein Karachi, then the population of NWFP must also be increased in this rate which is not happening at all.
Means Pushtuns ANP and you all are lying and behind all these lies there must be a hidden agenda.
Kindly stop crying about Pukhtoon Killings as Pukhtoon rein of terror in Karachi is over now, People of Karachi can't allow them to illegaly occupied there land, houses and City and their illegal business of Arms and Drugs.
We still remember bloody events of Mohajir Massacres from the hands of Pukhtoons after 1965 Presidential Elections, Qasba Aligerh 1986 and Firing on People passing through Sohrab Goth.
Don't ask for a civil war, we don't have a place to go from Karachi except grave, but you all have your Watan like your beloved Bacha Khan in Afghanistan.
and in war only those people run who have a place to run.
Hope You, ANP understands it well.