Apr 6, 2008
Anne Meets Altaf
U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson was out of Pakistan during the visit of John Negroponte and Richard Boucher, purportedly on a vacation. On her way back to Pakistan, she stopped by London, to visit none other than Altaf Hussain, head of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
During their visit, both Negroponte and Boucher also met the MQM in Karachi. Washington would like to see the MQM play a role in the still emerging political setup.
This is due to a number of reasons.
One, the MQM is the only Musharraf-allied political party with a real base (aside from Pir Pagara’s band of Hurs). The utility of Musharraf’s Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has and will continue to decline.
Two, the party is thoroughly secular. Washington sees an ideological compatibility with the People’s Party (PPP) and Pervez Musharraf. Nawaz’s nationalism and religious sentiments are troubling for some U.S. officials, though it should be noted he came back from exile with more hair on his head, not on his face.
Three, the MQM has strongly spoken in favor of the war on terror. The party has often tried to leverage this anti-terror stance to gain foreign favor. An example of such is in the video below in which Karachi mayor Mustafa Kemal tells former President Bill Clinton of his party’s support for the war on terror and Pervez Musharraf. Kemal also derides Nawaz Sharif as supporter of mullahs.
There is nothing wrong with U.S. officials meeting the leader of Pakistan’s fourth largest political party, though its record of violence is deeply troubling. Moreover, the timing of the visit makes Washington’s intentions questionable. Patterson’s meeting occurs as the PPP and MQM are coming closer, which some suspect as a way for the PPP to ditch, or at least check, the PML-N. Many will view the Patterson-Altaf meeting as yet another example of Washington’s attempts to determine the political setup in Pakistan. And there’s little to indicate otherwise.
Pakistan desparately needs, and most Pakistanis desire, a healthy relationship between the PPP and PML-N. If Washington helps terminate their infant coalition, then it will not only encourage Nawaz Sharif to pursue an agenda even less consistant with that of Washington’s, but also increase his popularity and public resentment of the United States. Sharif could find himself back in the prime minister’s house. Though Negroponte oft speaks of a desire for a long-term relationship with Pakistan, the prospects of such could be nill within a year’s time.
Everyone talks about violence commited by MQM. No one takes about the massacre committed by VALIANT PATHANS IN Qasba Colony, which gave rise to the popularity of MQM.
No one talks about the massacre committed by PAKKA QILA during Benazir’s governemtn. When innocent Mohajirs were butchered by Sindhi and PPP Jiyalas with the tacit support of Sindhi eastablished.
It would be unfair to single out the MQM as the only purveyor of violence in Karachi. Blood is on the hands of many.
But in the present period, the MQM is a major source of violence and intimidation in Karachi, and it attracts greater attention because of its political role. This duality exists in other political parties in Pakistan — take, for example, the Jamaat’s student wing — but I think it’s most apparent with the MQM.
There actions have been quite reprehensible May 12 was when they were at their best. There have been massacres against them, but what’s most surprising is the way some of their orators preach their viewpoints. In between their tussle on the judiciary issue superseded everything; the party could have gained a lot by siding with the will of the majority and not backing a fascist dictator.
Why MQM backed the dicatator? Pakistanies must look into their past history and find answers.