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Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) founding leader Altaf Hussain, during his 237th address streamed on TikTok, launched a sharp critique of the Pakistani state, alleging that despite its recognition as an independent country, Pakistan remains under foreign influence and internal authoritarian rule.
Hussain claimed that major national decisions are dictated by external forces, undermining the country's sovereignty. He pointed to the experiences of several freedom fighters, particularly from Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who, after independence, were unjustly labelled as traitors despite resisting British rule. In contrast, he alleged that Punjabi elites collaborated with colonial powers and were rewarded with vast landholdings. Hussain reiterated a longstanding conspiracy theory, asserting that Pakistan's founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was "gradually poisoned and murdered," and that Pakistan's first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, "also met the same fate." He further accused the establishment of undermining Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, stating that she was a victim of "electoral malpractice, character assassination, and ultimately murder for opposing the military dictatorship of General Ayub Khan." Addressing current developments, Hussain strongly condemned the treatment of political opposition and human rights activists, particularly in Balochistan. He highlighted the arrests of women protestors such as Mah Rang Baloch and criticized the crackdown on the Balochistan National Party's long march led by Akhtar Mengal. According to Hussain, "trenches were dug on roads and arrests were conducted to disrupt the movement." "The blood of Baloch leaders from Nawab Nauroz Khan to Akbar Bugti has been spilled, and today, Balochistan continues to cry out for its rights," he declared, accusing the state of systemic disregard for Baloch lives. Hussain lamented that violence and unrest in provinces such as Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fail to raise concern in other regions, describing this as a sign of deep national disunity. He also blamed political elites for looting the country over decades while enjoying impunity under the law. Taking aim at the media, Hussain alleged that "senior journalists and anchors have aligned with the ruling elite by disregarding ground realities and instead focusing on discrediting MQM." He called upon the people of Pakistan to engage in peaceful resistance against what he described as authoritarian rule and urged them to demand a truly democratic system with land reforms and equal constitutional rights for all. "The moment has arrived to abolish this feudal system and create a governance model where no one's voice is suppressed," he asserted. (ANI)
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