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MQM to highlight plight of Pak minority

Muttehela Quami Movement's self-exiled leader Altaf Hussain justifies his party's agitational programme in England on the plea that he is only emulating the Pakistani government which has tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue through its action in Kargil.

The agitational programme was launched on Tuesday to inform the world about the persecution of Muhajirs (post-Partition migrants) in Pakistan, Hussain told BBC Urdu Service in an interview last night, alleging that Pakistan is being ''Punjabised''.

Questioned if his agitational programme did not amount to internationalising the Muhajir problem, he said, ''Pakistan can give a better reply because it says it has internationalised the Kashmir question by its action in Kargil.''

Altaf agreed the MQM, too, is now internationalising the Muhajir problem because their plight is no different from the people of Kosovo. Thousands of Muhajirs have been killed in Karachi and on Saturday last an MQM leader, Mohammad Shah, was arrested by the police and later shot dead. About 40 MQM workers have been sentenced to death by special courts.

Persecution of MQM leaders has increased since the removal of governor Moinuddin Haider last month. Haider had controlled the law and order situation in Sindh. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief replaced him with Mamnoon Hussain, considered to be close to him.

UNI

The Kargil Crisis

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