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Who Will Shut Down MQM's Mafioso
Operations?
On Independence
Day, a delegation of businessmen from Karachi visited Pakistan
Weekly’s office. Other than the problems their businesses face
in Karachi, they mentioned about the chits they receive time to
time from MQM’s agents to deliver certain amount of money to a
designated location. Most of the time, the demanded money is in
lakhs depending on the size of the business.
While the members of business delegation
were describing MQM’s Bhutta collection operations, Altaf
Hussain was delivering his usual sermon on Geo and ARY. Today,
he was congratulating the people for Pakistan’s 63rd
birth day. Uttering the dirtiest possible slurs, the members of
business delegation wanted me to change the channel, but the MQM
Chief was thundering on both available Pakistani channels.
Thousands of adherents of MQM, mostly
ladies, were listening Altaf Hussain’s thunderous telephonic
tirade.
What is the difference between a war lord
in tribal areas and Altaf Hussain? Of course, Altaf Hussain is
more organized, has access to modern technology, has larger
network of workers who can collect Bhutta on his behalf in major
urban centers of Sindh: Karachi and Hyderabad.
The news about MQM’s Bhutta collection was
not new for us. We have been listening about MQM’s Bhutta
operations since early 90s. Since then, MQM has become much
stronger. It has organized its network channels on more
systematic footings. It is also spreading its networks in the
rest of Pakistan as well around the globe in all major cities in
Europe and North America. It has exploited its control on state
apparatus to further its areas of influence.
It is unfortunate, consecutive Pakistani
governments collaborated with MQM, thus giving it more power to
continue its mafia style operations. The worst part of the story
is Geo’s and ARY’s accommodation and broadcasting of Altaf
Hussain’s sermons. Viewers either turn off or switch TV channels
because they do not want to listen to his sermons.
It was a sad account to hear the news of
MQM’s Mafioso Operations in Karachi on Pakistan’s 63rd
birth day by the delegation of businessmen based in Karachi. It
is even sadder to know, that MQM is the part of present ruling
coalition both at provincial and federal level. It is amazing
how a mafia network, whose chief operates out of London, has
gained so much power in the largest urban center of Pakistan
that neither businesses nor provincial and federal governments
can function without his blessings.
It is government’s responsibility to foil
MQM’s operations in Karachi and free businessmen from fear
created by MQM’s operatives throughout urban centers of Sindh. A
government is supposed to protect its citizens’ lives and
properties. Here, the government is a collaborator and partner.
Who will break MQM’s Mafioso rings if government, media and
opposition politicians start siding with MQM? Who will protect
the lives and properties of citizens of Karachi? We all saw what
MQM did to Chief Justice, does anyone else matters? We also
witnessed the bloodbath MQM gave to the streets of Karachi on
May 12. What MQM will do in other cities if it gets hold of
them?
Now, MQM Chief wants to return favor to the
biggest criminal of history of Pakistan, former dictator general
Musharraf too because not only he collaborated with MQM
throughout his illegal rule in the country but he also provided
necessary space to MQM to establish its Mafioso operations. It
is not without reason the MQM Chief, in his Independence Day
message, thundered: Musharraf key trial aur article 6 ke rut
band karo. That is precisely how criminals protect each
other.
Musharraf’s erected Mayoral System is also
important for MQM to continue its Mafioso Operations in Karachi.
As a matter of fact Mayoral System is lynchpin of MQM’s Mafioso
Operations. That is why MQM is insisting with Prime Minister
Gilani and President Zardari to maintain the Mayoral System in
Karachi.
Bhutta collections, target killings, use of
government funds to eliminate MQM’s opponents and further
strengthen it hold in Karachi are dangerous trends which can
weaken Pakistani state’s control on its coastal areas.
Is Pakistan’s political leadership, state
institutions and media are so powerless that they cannot stop
MQM’s Mafioso Operations? If they cannot who else will?
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