The entire nation will have to come forward against the heartless killers
The cowardly attack on Malala Yousufzai is an attack on Islam and the bright face of Pakistan: Altaf Hussain
Excerpts from the Speech | Photographs
The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that Malala Yousufzai is the symbol of knowledge which the Taliban want to suppress. The cowardly attack on Malala and her classmates was the attack on Islam, the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and the humanity. It was an attack on the enlightened and bright face of Pakistan. He said this while talking to a huge gathering of workers and sympathizers of the party in Jinnah Ground. The address of Mr Hussain was relayed to over 36 locations throughout Pakistan.

Speaking to the people of Pakistan Mr Hussain said it was time to decide if they wanted Pakistan to survive and progress or they would allow it to be wiped out from the map of the world. He said that mere lips service was not enough as nothing would happen unless words are matched by actions.

Mr Hussain said that the entire nation would have to rise against the heartless killers. They would have to wage struggle as the time to take a decision has arrived. “We have to decide if we want a Pakistan of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah or we want a Pakistan of the Taliban. You are either with the Taliban or you are against them. There is no third option.”

“The enlightened segment of the society will have to come in the field. The civil society will have to come forward and assert itself for saving the country.”

Speaking to the students Mr Hussain said, “You must continue to go to your schools in order to dispel the dark clouds of ignorance. Education is the only means for opening the closed doors of the mind.”

Mr Hussain praised the religious scholars who minced no words in condemning the barbaric attack on young students as un-Islamic. He said that those religious scholars who shied away from condemning the Taliban for their dastardly act were, in fact, filling their bellies by selling the names of Allah and His prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) for petty worldly gains.

Speaking about the drone strikes, Mr Hussain regretted that some elements were trying to find some sort of justification for the brutal attack on Malala Yousufzai and her classmates by saying that it was a fall-out of the drone attacks.

Mr Hussain appealed to the Chief Justice to take suo motu notice of the merciless attack on Malala Yousufzai and her class fellows.

He said that the MQM had always condemned the drone strikes and the killing of innocent people in these attacks. The MQM had also organized protest demonstrations against them. He categorically stated that the MQM cannot support drone strikes in the country.

Mr Hussain asked the people to stop donating money to such elements who did not even hesitate from attacking students like Malala Yousufzai.

Mr Hussain said that when Governor of the Punjab Salman Taseer was gunned down in a barbaric manner, no one was ready to lead his funeral prayers. When the killer Mumtaz Qadri was presented in a court, a group of lawyers had showered flower petals on him. He appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the lawyers who had trampled upon the law by throwing flower petals on a killer.

Speaking about the Lal Masjid, Mr Hussain said that certain anchor persons were saying on TV channels that women were burn alive in during the Lal Masjid operation. He said that the names of the women allegedly burnt to death in the Lal Masjid with their fathers’ names and complete addresses should be published in order to lay real facts before the public.

Mr Hussain said that the Army should also publish the names of its officers and personnel who were martyred during the operation. He said that the TV channels should also show the footage of women students of Lal Masjid carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles in their hands.

Mr Hussain asked if the so-called students of the Lal Masjid were empty-handed. “Were they not firing bullets? Did they not vandalized CD shops in Islamabad? Did they not kidnap Chinese women?” The TV anchor persons should show the other side of the picture as well.

Mr Hussain asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and other judges of the Supreme Court to take action against killers and those who want to enforce Sharia by force and wielding batons. He said that the Supreme Court should move against those who had looted national wealth but no party should be singled out. He said that the nation wanted justice and nothing else.

Speaking to the heads of the armed forces and the ISI, Mr Hussain said that the nation was firmly united in 1965. They were solidly standing behind their armed forces then but the hard-hearted attack on Malala Yousufzai had jolted the nation into even stronger unity. He said that nations do not get such opportunities again and again. He asked them to move ahead and crush the Taliban and 180 million people would be standing behind them.

Mr Hussain paid glowing tributes to the officers and personnel of the army and other security forces who were martyred while serving for the security of the nation. He said that their blood was a debt on the nation which must be repaid in full. He asked the armed forces to repay the debt by annihilating the evil of Taliban once and for all.

Mr Hussain said that Islam equally enjoins upon men and women to acquire knowledge. Those who oppose knowledge can be Taliban but they cannot be true Muslims.

Mr Hussain invited political leadership to get united on the single point of saving Pakistan.

Dr Farooq Sattar

Speaking on the occasion Deputy Convener of the Co-ordination Committee Dr Farooq Sattar said that the cowardly attack on Malala was, in fact, an attack on Pakistan. It was an attack by a handful of extremist elements who wanted to impose their way of life on the people.

He said that Malala Yousufzai was the bright face of Pakistan and the Taliban tried to kill the light of knowledge by targeting innocent Malala and her classmates.

He said that the people of Pakistan would have to decide if they wanted to save Pakistan and put it on the path of progress and prosperity according to the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam or they wanted to push the country in the abyss of ignorance.

Member of the Co-ordination Committee Mr Gulfaraz Khattak and MNA Khushbakht Shujaat also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier young girl students presented a tableau to express solidarity with Malala Yousufzai and her classmates.