London [UK], March 6 : Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has condemned the Pakistan government over the arrest of political prisoners. In a post on X, Hussain called on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to uphold the sanctity of Ramzan by freeing detainees who have been wrongfully imprisoned.
He said that it is "deeply unfortunate" that a system of repression is in place in Pakistan, where political opponents are targeted with brutality.
Altaf Hussain stated, "Ramadan is a sacred month, a time of mercy and compassion. Even convicted prisoners are spared execution during this period, and no one should be subjected to oppression or political persecution. Yet, it is deeply unfortunate that in Pakistan, a system of repression is in place where political opponents are targeted with brutality."
He argued that in Karachi and other cities in Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, citizens critical of the government's policies were being arrested or disappeared.
The MQM leader highlighted several specific cases, including the abduction of senior MQM Pashtun leader Anwar Khan Tareen. Tareen was abducted from his home ten days ago and remains missing, despite a petition being filed in court. Similarly, Muhammad Kamran, an MQM Baldia Town Sector worker, has been unaccounted for since his arrest on December 9, 2024.
He lamented, "Moreover, the wife of Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad was unjustly arrested and implicated in a fabricated case. Her only "crime" being her association with a man who dares to call out injustice. Meanwhile, oppressed Baloch individuals continue to disappear without a trace, and elderly and young Pashtuns affiliated with PTM are being unlawfully detained. Shockingly, all of this is taking place during the sacred month of Ramadan."
He further criticised the ruling parties--Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and other Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) affiliates--for mismanagement of the country's resources, which have led to an economic disaster. Hussain lamented that while Pakistan's economy remains dependent on foreign aid, the common citizen continues to face shortages of basic necessities like electricity, gas, and water.
"Where does the money from the IMF, World Bank, and other global financial institutions go? Is it spent on the people? Why are the ruling elites untouched by the crises plaguing the poor and middle class?" he asked. He warned that the ruling elite's luxurious lifestyles remain insulated from the hardships faced by the majority of Pakistan's population, leading to growing dissatisfaction among the masses.
https://x.com/AltafHussain_90/status/1897374307522674815
Altaf Hussain's statement paints a grim picture of the political and economic landscape of the country, with a call for urgent change and reform.