Altaf's tirade is nothing but an attempt to avert trial of May 12 mayhem: Hashmi

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) central Senior Vice President, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi has said that Federal government to constitute a high-powered commission headed by apex court judge to investigate into 1992 and 1995 operations, May 12 massacre, murders of a number of MQM leaders including MQM Chairman. MQM Chief, Altaf Hussain's tirade is nothing but an attempt to avert trial regarding May 12 mayhem, he added.
He said the commission should be empowered to summon Altaf Hussain, Afaq Ahmed, General Naseer Ullah Babar (Retd), General Naseer Akthar (Retd) and Brigadier Imtiaz (Retd). He said PML-N leadership would appear before the commission, if called at any time.
Talking to newsmen here at the residence of Allah Nawaz Khan Durrani on Wednesday he said Altaf Hussain should return to the country and face the cases against him to prove his innocence. He said Altaf Hussain would never succeed in distracting the attention of the people by making hue and cry.
According to him, investigation into 12 May tragedy, trial of Musharraf and scraping of 17th amendment is the voice of nation and basic demand of PML-N. Making clamour by Altaf Hussain would never help dumping of all the issues, he maintained. He said when operation was initiated against MQM, it was part of Sindh government. This showed that MQM leadership knew everything about the operation, he added.
He said PML-N acknowledged the political importance of MQM and urged Altaf Hussain to come back forthwith. He said if Altaf Hussain felt that his life was in danger in Karachi, PML-N government would welcome him in Punjab and would provide bullet-proof car to him for his security.
Javed Hashmi said PML-N gave great regard to the mandate of MQM but it would never welcome politics based on linguistics and ethnic values. He said, "We respect Muhajirs (immigrants) but do not accept MQM formed on linguistic basis." He asked Altaf Hussain as to why MQM joined the cabinet during PML-N government in 1997 if PML-N Chief, Mian Nawaz Sharif, what MQM leadership said, was responsible for 1992 operation against MQM.
In the same way, if operation launched during Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government against MQM in 1994 was illegal, why MQM was ally of PPP-led government in the Centre, he added. He said incidents like kidnapping and torturing of Major Kaleem on the orders of Altaf Hussain and unearthing of torture cells at Nine Zero led Altaf Hussain to settle the issue with General Asif Nawaz in London.
He said Altaf Hussain afterwards sought citizenship from the British government and had given a statement while leaving Pakistan that he intended to quit politics for good. He said the Sindh High Court had issued notices to Altaf Hussain, Pervez Musharraf and Wasim Akhtar on the May 12 mayhem in Karachi. He alleged Altaf Hussain was raising hue and cry against Mian Nawaz Sharif to avoid the court. He urged Altaf Hussain to end his 19 years of self-exile and return to Pakistan immediately to face the courts.
Hashmi said they could constitute a judicial commission under a Supreme Court judge to probe the Army action during the second Benazir Bhutto's government under General Naseerullah Babar (Retd) and the killing of MQM chairman Azim Tariq, the brother and nephew of Altaf Hussain, brother of former Sindh chief minister Abdullah Shah and PPP MPA Abdullah Murad and 162 innocent Pakistanis in April 2008.
To a query as to why Mian Nawaz Sharif, despite being the prime minister, did not have the knowledge of the Kargil adventure and the military operation in Karachi and Hyderabad, he said they wanted to close this chapter so that officers like General Asif Nawaz and General Musharraf could not head the military again.