Altaf Hussain

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This article is about the founder and leader of MQM. For the journalist, see Altaf Husain.
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Altaf Hussain
الطاف حسین
Born 17 September 1953
Karachi,Pakistan
Education Bachelor of Pharmacy

Altaf Hussain (Urdu: الطاف حسین) is the leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and the second largest in Sindh] province. He was born on September 17, 1953 in Karachi.


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[edit] Family and early life

Mr. Hussain's father, Mr. Nazir Hussain, and mother, Mrs. Khursheed Begum, both belonged to a religious family of Agra, India.

Altaf Hussain received primary education (grade 1-5) from Dehli Bhai Allah Rakkha School located on Jahangir Road. He completed his secondary education (grade 6-10) from Government Boys Secondary School located on Jail Road. He completed 11th grade from National College, Karachi and the 12th grade from City College, Karachi where he received his Intermediate Diploma in Science.

When the Armed Forces of Pakistan started a National Cadet Scheme Service in 1971, Hussain joined the Service and started participating in it. He completed his one-year training with 57th Baloch Regiment, and started focusing on his college studies, once again. Altaf Hussain completed his Bachelor of Arts from Islamia College, Karachi in 1974. He started his Bachelor of Pharmacy at Karachi University and completed his degree in 1979[1].

He started his career as a pharmacist at a hospital pharmacy in Karachi. Disillusioned by his low-paying job and lack of employment opportunities, Altaf Hussain migrated to the United States. However, because of his lack of qualifications, he failed to get a decent job and ended up driving a taxi in Chicago, Illinois; he eventually returned to Pakistan.

[edit] Political ideologies and reputation

Altaf Hussain credits himself as the first in Pakistan who introduced a new trend in the political culture by giving a non-feudal based political philosophy. Their ideology is to seek the rights of Muhajirs, refugees from what is now the Republic of India, and their descendants[2].

The federal government of Pakistan is now its ally in the current government setup in Sindh. Therefore, he claims that vehement opposition to MQM which he created in 1984, is due to fact that he wants to rid Pakistan from the rule of few to the rule of the people.[3] Mr. Hussain claims that MQM has no prejudice between poor and privileged, and that every worker of the party bears and carries that same respect.[4]

[edit] Controversies

Back in the early late 70s early 80s, Altaf Hussain, came back to Karachi and formed a student association.

An Article in National Post alleges that the denial was due to MQM's involvement in terrorist activities.[5] However, MQM has denied any such announcement by any Canadian court, and termed it as "propaganda" due to MQM's speedy inroads in the largest Pakistani province of Punjab, in addition to having solid political presence in the second largest province of Sindh for the past two decades. [6]

It is often speculated that Hussain was recruited by the Inter-Services Intelligence (Pakistan's military intelligence) in the United States to form MQM as a counter against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)[7] and the Jamaat-e-Islami. [8]

At a conference in India in May 2005, he said, "Perhaps the idea of Pakistan was dead at its inception, when the majority of Muslims chose to stay back after partition, a truism reiterated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. If you need further evidence look at the plight of 300,000 Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh for three decades in their passage to the chosen land. Unwanted by both Bangladesh and Pakistan, led by an unknown destiny." [9]

Altaf in a speech in India, also referred to Pakistan as the biggest blunder in the history of mankind and asked India to accept the migrants who had earlier fled and settled in Pakistan.

Altaf Hussain is labelled by his opponents in Pakistan as an Indian agent.[10]. He has dismissed this charge by saying, "it is a Pakistani tradition to call oppositionists Indian agents."[10]

[edit] British Citizenship

There is controversy over why Mr. Hussain was allowed British citizenship by Tony Blair's Labour government. The Conservatives under John Major had refused to grant him citizenship[11]. Respect MP George Galloway has described him in the House of Commons as "the godfather of Sindh—he is the godfather of Karachi—and he is living high on the hog from the extortion of the citizens of Karachi" and has asked "why he was given citizenship, and why he is being allowed to operate with impunity". [11]

[edit] Allegations of terrorism against rivals

An operation against the MQM was launched by the Pakistan Army in June 19, 1992. Altaf Hussain, had already fled to London six months prior to the operation, where he is currently under a self-imposed exile. Warrants were later issued for Altaf Hussain in a case related to the murder of Sindh governor, Hakeem Muhammed Saeed, in which nine other MQM members were sentenced to death.[12]

Mr. Hussain has also been accused of being involved in the kidnapping and torture of a Pakistan Army, Major in 1991. Major Kaleem case was the legal foundation for the governmental and military operations against MQM [13]

On February 6, 1998 the Sindh High Court found all defendants innocent and found the case as one "of almost no legal evidence". [14] [15]

He has also been accused of involvement in the 11 April 2006 Nishtar Park bombing of a Eid Milad-un-Nabi gathering. The main leaders of Sunni Tehrik - Abbas Qadri, Iftikhar Bhatti and Akram Qadri were among the dead, as were Hafiz Mohammad Taqi of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, and several other leaders of Barelvi parties. The Sunni Tehrik is considered to be the only Barelvi outfit that departed from the sect’s predominantly moderate posture and eventually became conservative like most Deobandi and Ahle Hadith groups[16].

[edit] Killing of his brother and nephew

It is alleged that his brother Nasir Hussain and nephew Arif Hussain were brutally tortured whilst in the custody of the State and extra-judicially executed on 9 December 1995, after three days of torture. Their dead bodies were found in Gadap, a remote area of Karachi. According to Altaf Hussain, they were not affiliated with MQM. It is alleged that other relatives of Altaf Hussain also faced arrests and harassment from various law enforcement agencies.[17] [18]

[edit] May 12, 2007 Karachi riots

Main article: 2007 Karachi riots

The MQM has been accused of instigating violence in Karachi on May 12, 2007 that led to the death of at least 42 people.[19] The violence broke out after MQM held a rally against what it called ‘political jugglery in the name of independence of judiciary’. The MQM denied the claims, though its leader indirectly blamed the former justice.[20]

The violence intensified just before the suspended Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry flew into Karachi to address the Sindh High Court Bar Association. He was, however, forced to leave for Islamabad after waiting at the airport for several hours. This was due to the banishment order for his panel of lawyers from the Sindh government.

Lawyers, political parties and media organisations from across the country protested over the involvement of MQM workers in the attack of Aaj TV.[21]

[edit] Recent events

The MQM has joined the coalition government with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N). On 11 April 2008 leader Altaf Hussain announced he was stepping down as chief of the party, but then within two hours, Mr Hussain announced that he was reaccepting the position after talks with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari. MQM decided not to be part of the government both in Sindh and in Islamabad..

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Altaf Hussain Biography from MQM USA
  2. ^ DETAILS OF MANIFESTO (HTML). MQM. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  3. ^ MQM Wants to Rid Pakistan of Archaic Political Oligarchies
  4. ^ MQM Does not Believe in Elitism
  5. ^ Canadian Court Denies Application of Asylum of a Member of MQM
  6. ^ MQM Denies that any Canadian Court has Determined that MQM is involved in Terrorism
  7. ^ Amir, Ayaz. A love-hate relationship (HTML). The Dawn. Retrieved on 2004-11-12.
  8. ^ Troubled Karachi held to ransom (HTML). Asia Times. Retrieved on 2004-06-03.
  9. ^ Altaf Hussain in India (HTML). Retrieved on 2007-06-15.
  10. ^ a b SPEAKING OUT IN ANGER (HTML). www.asiaweek.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  11. ^ a b House of Commons Hansard Debates for 11 Jun 2007 (pt 0021) (HTML). www.publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  12. ^ Hakeem Saeed Sentence. BBC.
  13. ^ Basis for Operation Against MQM
  14. ^ Sindh High Court Finds all MQM Leaders and Workers Innocent
  15. ^ Sindh High Court Finds Altaf Hussain Innocent
  16. ^ Sunni Tehrik Turn Violent
  17. ^ DAWN WIRE SERVICE (HTML). Dawn. Retrieved on 2007-08-1.
  18. ^ RELATIVES OF MR ALTAF HUSSAIN, ARRESTED BY THE CIA (HTML). MQM. Retrieved on 2007-08-1.
  19. ^ Karachi death toll rises to 42. Daily Times Pakistan. Retrieved on 2007-05-13.
  20. ^ Chief justice responsible. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  21. ^ Journalists protest attack on Aaj TV. Daily Times Pakistan. Retrieved on 2007-05-13.

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