Pakistan: Baton-wielding Shariah unacceptable

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain Saturday said blood of innocent people was being shed, because the Taliban want to keep the participants away from the public rallies held under the banner of Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and MQM. “Baton-wielding Shariah is unacceptable to us. We want enlightened and educated Pakistan,” the MQM supremo Altaf Hussain said while addressing a public meeting via telephone here as part of the party's campaign for May 11 polls. Expressing shock over killings of people in the recent bomb blasts, Altaf Hussain sent out condolences to the bereaved family members. He said he believes in Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s slogan which says: “Islam preaches no use of force”. Altaf Hussain dubbed the attacks on MQM offices as a conspiracy to keep the liberal political parties out of the electoral process. “The political activities are continuing only in the Punjab and ‘God willing’ they carry on like this,” he observed. He underscored the need to find the other end of the terrorists and expressed regret that some political parties do not even denounce the bomb blasts. The MQM chief reiterated that his party will form a government in Sindh following the next general elections, promising that the status of Municipal High School Nawabshah will be upgraded to a college.