Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), chief Altaf Hussain, while emphasising the need for developing consensus and removing doubts of the provinces on Kalabagh dam project, has asked the government not to take any decision on this project without developing national consensus.
Altaf Hussain, in his telephonic address to the members of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday, said that only Punjab is in favour of construction of Kalabagh dam, while rest of the three provinces have strong reservations over this project, hence the government must take the decision very carefully in the interest of the people as well as country.
He said he had also requested President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to take all the provinces into confidence on this national issue. "Since 9/11, Pakistan is facing problems and the present government instead of increasing differences among the people of different provinces should strive for evolving consensus instead of taking any decision in a haste on the issue of national importance", he emphasised.
Altaf said the MQM is against any type of military intervention and his party would join hands with other political parties for bringing change in the country. The MQM believes in independence of judiciary, true democracy, and safeguarding the rights of small provinces, he added.
He said he wants to come back to his homeland, but he will not return to the country till restoration of dignity and prestige of the courts, adding that other political leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif should also be allowed to come back to Pakistan.
The MQM chief exhorted the people to wage struggle for independence of judiciary and strengthening of democracy in the country, adding that political parties must also play their due role for the independence of judiciary and strengthening of democracy in the country.
He said that independent judiciary is a must to bring requisite changes in the present system for the benefit of people.
"The MQM is the only political party which represent middle and lower middle class people, and his party always waged struggle for true democracy and independence of judiciary", he said.
He said that elite of Pakistan, including military generals had taken over Pakistan from the day first, and added only the MQM could not bring changes in the existing system. To achieve this goal, all the political parties must wage joint struggle, he said.
SCBA President Malik Muhammad Qayyum, Dr Farooq Sattar, Nawab Mirza, Haider Rizvi, and Aftab Sheikh were also present on the occasion.