Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain on Saturday announced MQM's candidates for the National Assembly and provincial assembly seats throughout the country. Addressing a gathering of MQM workers at Lal Qilla Ground in Azizabad, Altaf Hussain said that MQM was fielding 221 candidates for National Assembly seats and 450 candidates on seats of all provincial assemblies.
According to him, MQM had awarded tickets to 22 women candidates on general seats from across the country. "In Punjab, 132 candidates would take part in the electoral process for National Assembly seats and 256 for provincial assembly seats. In Balochistan, seven candidates would contest for National Assembly seats and 27 for provincial assembly seats. In the rural areas of Sindh, MQM would field 41 candidates for National Assembly and 86 for provincial assembly seats," he maintained.
Altaf Hussain said that 20 candidates would contest for National Assembly and 42 for provincial assembly seats in Karachi, adding that 21 of his party's candidates would contest for National Assembly seats while 45 for Provincial assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Altaf Hussain urged 'Taliban leaders' to lay down arms and enter national mainstream politics.
Urging them to sway public opinions verbally, instead of carrying out bomb attacks, he appealed to the people at the helm of affairs and all political leaders to work for peace, saying that the country was facing multiple national and international threats. He said that every political party had the right take active part in elections. "We should protect each other and must not fight with each other. I seek forgiveness if I have hurt anyone." He ordered members of the Co-ordination Committee to hold meetings with representatives of other parties and assure them of MQM's full co-operation.
Altaf Husssain said that MQM was no longer confined to a particular region. "MQM seeks to represents the poor and the middle-class people all over Pakistan." He said that Balochistan was the most under-developed province in the country and his party would not rest until it secured the rights of the people of that province. "Injustices of past will be addressed."
Stressing the need for holding free, fair and transparent elections, he said that it was crucial to allow all parties to take active part in elections. "Some terrorist elements are conspiring to forcibly keep liberal parties out of election. MQM, ANP and PPP are being targeted of terrorism while other parties are allowed to freely run their (election) campaigns."
He appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner, the caretaker government and the Supreme Court to take immediate notice of the discriminatory treatment and injustices. Deputy Convenor of MQM's Co-ordination Committee Dr Farooq Sattar also spoke on the occasion.