I have written to Modi twice

Altaf Hussain, founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), one of Pakistan's biggest political party of Muhajirs or Urdu-speakers who migrated from India during Partition in 1947, is the biggest headache for Pakistan. The maverick political leader, who has enjoyed an iron grip over Karachi for over two decades, continues to draw huge crowds on the streets in London to Karachi every time he spits venom against Pakistan. Hussain was recently arrested by the Scotland Yard for encouraging terrorism in a speech relayed to his followers in Pakistan.

Speaking exclusively to THE WEEK from his base in Mill Hill in London where he is on a self imposed exile since 1992, Hussain accused Pakistan's mainstream political parties—Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party and Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League—of following the repressive agenda of military establishment. He warned of resistance movements growing in Pakistan where people from Karachi, Urban Sindh, Rural Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas are demanding freedom . Calling the partition of India and Pakistan a ''historic blunder'', Hussain said the future of the Mojahirs as well as people living in Pakistan-administered Kashmir lies with India and not Pakistan.

Why have you taken asylum in London?

Nobody loves to live in exile. Pakistan’s security agencies have tried to take my life multiple times. On my return to Pakistan from London on December 21, 1991, agency-sponsored terrorists hurled grenades at me. This was the first suicide attack on any political leader in Pakistan. It was on the advice of the central committee, office bearers and workers of MQM that I left the country on January 1, 1992 to run the movement from UK. I have since then dedicated my life to fight for the rights of my people.

Why do Mujahirs feel persecuted in Pakistan?

I have always loved my country—Pakistan. I was always prepared to sacrifice for her and it was this passion that drew me to the Pakistan Army. I joined as a sepoy (soldier) in the 57 Balouch Regiment. During that period, India and Pakistan had entered into a war in 1971 and I was deployed at the Somyani beach near Balochistan’s coastal belt. However, after the war was over, Pakistan was divided into two—Pakistan and Bangladesh. I observed that the Pakistani Army was dominated by Punjabis (Punjabi speaking nationals) and they despised Mohajirs (Urdu speaking nationals). They discriminated against them. An incident occurred during the training period that changed my thoughts and awoke my conscience. Our military instructor was called 'Ustaad' (teacher) and the trainees used to call him ‘Shah Jee’. He once summoned me and asked me to tender an apology to other trainees as according to him I had made a mistake. On my refusal, he called me a coward. He said that I was a Mohajir who were cowards who fled to Pakistan at the time of partition. He said Mohajirs speak Urdu and this language is strange in Pakistan as it is native toIndia (Hindustan), hence Mohajirs are Indians (Hindustanis).

I quit the military service and started pursuing B.Sc from Islamia Science College in Karachi. When I went to Karachi University for my admission, I was amazed to see stalls of different ethnic entities such as Punjabi Students Association, Pakhtoon Students Federation, Jeay Sindh Students Federation, Balouch Students Organisation, Gilgiti Students Organisation, Seraiki Students Organisation etc. but there was no Urdu or Mohajir Students representation. On June 11, 1978 I founded the APMSO—All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation—and its first manifesto carried salient features that pertained to ethnic, cultural, religious equality and harmony. Later, MQM—Mohajir Qaumi (National) Movement—was created on March 18, 1984.

The military establishment, ISI and MI started their schemes to crush the newly formed MQM and they started provoking other ethnic entities such as Punjabi, Pakhtoon, Balouch and Sindhi against the Mohajirs. They told them that Mohajirs were their enemies and that they should stay united against them. Conversely, the military establishment erected PPI—Punjabi Pakhtoon Ittehad (Unity against Mohajirs)—and the notorious gang of PPI started attacking settlements of Mohajirs.

Between 1986 till date, thousands of Mujahir men and women have been killed and raped. On May 26 and 27 in 1990, the police and security agencies unleashed a deadly crackdown on Mohajirs at Pucca Qila in Hyderabad in which dozens of Mohajirs, including women and children, were assassinated. Their graves are still intact inside the fort premises. A huge grave yard is also situated in Karachi called as 'Shohadas’ Qabristan' (Martyrs’ graveyard) in Azizabad.

How potent is the threat from religious intolerance and extremism in Pakistan?

The military establishment has promoted the religious intolerance and extremism in Pakistan since 1947 and in 1979 when Afghan war was in full swing, this menace of religious intolerance was at its peak. When I raised my voice against that escalating religious fanaticism and extremism , the ISI started accusing me of being an Indian agent or an agent of Israel. Today, the entire country is held hostage at the hands of the military establishment and jihadists. My residence has been sealed illegally since August 22, 2016 and all Mohajir-dominated cities in Pakistan including Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur are under siege of military and paramilitary forces. More than 25,000 Mohajirs have so far been extra-judicially killed, including my elder brother Nasir Hussain and nephew Arif Hussain. Hundreds have been disappeared while thousands are languishing in jails and thousands have been forced to flee the country to take refuge across the world.

Are you aware of jihadi sancturies existing in Pakistan?

The Pakistan military and ISI are directly involved in promoting as well as exporting the menace of terrorism across the globe. As evident from 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the Pathankot Airbase attack which were planned and executed by the terrorists from Pakistan, I can assert that the recent Pulwama attack would not have been carried out without the help of foreign hands. The jihadi sanctuaries in Pakistan must be shut down for peace and tranquility in the subcontinent.

Is MQM banned in Pakistan?

Ironically, internationally designated terrorists move freely in Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar are provided every luxury at home, under arrest in safe-houses.

But MQM has been facing an unannounced ban by military establishment in Pakistan. Hundreds of party offices across Sindh have been demolished illegally by paramilitary Rangers. An illegal and unconstitutional blanket ban on me and my party in the print and electronic media is in place since March 2015.

You have been with Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Your party plays a major role in Pakistan politics and you are accused of opportunism. Comments.

Both the parties betrayed MQM despite a written accord between us and both the parties are feudal by nature. We had always been part of coalition government and as I said when written accords were not implemented, we left the coalition without any hesitation. As far as urban areas of Sindh are concerned, both parties follow the repressive agenda of military establishment to crush the demands of equal and due rights for Mohajirs.

Is there unity among the separatist forces in Pakistan?

People from Karachi, Urban Sindh, Rural Sindh, Balouchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas are all demanding freedom from Pakistan—from the dominance of Punjab. These demands are very strong. Lack of resistance in a particular area does not mean that the people are satisfied and happy there. They all want to exercise their right of self-determination and it cannot be ignored for too long.

Do you have a support base in Pakistan and what is your demand?

I am living in exile since the last 28 years. Despite that, MQM, under my leadership, has secured landslide victory over all the past elections and the people gave their mandate to MQM. There is an undeclared martial law in Karachi, Hyderabad and other Urban areas of Sindh. The Mohajirs are forced to remain behind the doors. Yet, their support for Altaf Hussain and the MQM has not declined.

Pakistan’s military must respect fundamental human rights of every citizen of the country. Extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests of political workers must stop immediately.

India has raised human rights issues in Balochistan. Do you see hope?

I have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice, but due to reasons unknown, he is yet to raise his voice against the atrocities on Mohajirs in Pakistan despite the fact that Mohajirs originally migrated from India. But yes, the present Indian government does openly speak about groups that call for self-determination. I believe that if the people of Pakistan-administered Kashmir are allowed to have their say under the direct aegis of the UN, they would prefer to remain independent or at least would love to accede to India but shall never chose to stay with Pakistan.

What is the way forward?

I would urge the people of India that they should not forget that Mohajirs were part of present day India before the partition in 1947. Our forefathers were misguided and trapped in the name of religion and hence they participated in the movement for the division of the Indian subcontinent. It was a blunder and we are paying the cost of that blunder here in Pakistan. Only Mohajirs could realise that blunder well.