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MQM's Charter of Demands
Saturday, June 4, 1994
The so-called "Operation Clean Up" launched two years ago
in Sindh province of Pakistan has aggravated the situation further.
Political victimization, biased treatment and atrocities committed by
the government, the Army and the other law enforcement agencies became
the order of the day. In order to bring about peace, sanity, tranquillity
and amity the internationally accepted principles of "Taxation
without representation is a tyranny", must be recognized and the
inalienable, political and economic rights of Mohajirs be restored by
taking inter alia the following steps.
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Operation Clean Up, directed against Mohajirs be discontinued
forthwith. All military and para-military forces be withdrawn
form civilian areas. [The Army operation in Sindh province
was launched against dacoits, kidnappers, car lifters and other
criminals on 28th May, 1992. Contrary to their declared
objectives, the Army started action against MQM and entered Karachi
with heavy contingents along with Haqiqi who had earlier been
expelled from MQM on charges of criminal activities and corruption
Chief
of the Army Staff, late General Asif Nawaz, is on record to have
wished MQM to break into several factions like Muslim League.
This statement alone clearly proves the political motivation of
operation clean up. The present Prime Minister in her last address
to the participants of National Defence College, Rawalpindi on
16th March, 1994 emphasised the need to break the vote
bank of MQM
]
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Mohajir representation in the National and Provincial assemblies
and the Senate is well below their actual population. To ensure
proportionate representation of Mohajirs, the overdue census be
conducted under an impartial authority. The electoral boundaries
in Sindh province be also revised.
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Mohajirs constitute about 50% of Sindhs population but
their share in the Federal and Provincial services is negligible.
The urban quota in federal and provincial services needs to be
enhanced from 7.6% to 9% as from 40% to 50% respectively on the
strength of their population. The factual position is that the
representation of Mohajirs in federal and provincial services
is only 1% and 15% respectively. To meet the deficiency of 8.5%
at federal level and 35% on provincial level, special recruitment
for induction of Mohajirs be made on emergency basis and due share
of Mohajirs in the services be maintained.
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The spirit of democracy demands that all sections of population
are represented in the government. Therefore the position of the
Governor and Chief Minister of Sindh be shared in rotation by
Mohajirs and Sindhis. [It was agreed in 1972 between late Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto and Mohajir elders that in the presence of a Sindhi
Chief Minister a Mohajir will always be made the Governor of the
Province, but this agreement has not been fully adhered to.]
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The Urban areas of Sindh should receive proportionate share of
the Federal and Provincial funds for development.
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All arbitrary administrative actions taken to suppress and subjugate
Mohajirs during the last two years be reversed. This particularly
refers to bifurcation of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, creation
of Malir District and of Lyari Development Authority.
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The repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh to Pakistan
be carried out without further delay.
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Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Hyderbad Municipal Corporation
and other Municipal bodies be made autonomous to govern their
affairs freely. Similarly till elections of local bodies are held,
the arbitrarily superseded elected local bodies restored forthwith.
[Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation (HMC) have never been entrusted with full powers to
run their affairs freely. Sindh governments interference
in their affairs has become a daily routine for political gains.]
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All employees arbitrarily sacked or removed from Federal, Provincial
and semi-government services since June 1992 and those sacked
from Pakistan Steel Mills be reinstated. [During Operation
Clean Up several thousand Mohajirs were sacked from government
and semi-government organisations. Prior to this about 6000 had
also been dismissed from Pakistan Steel Mills. Their only crime
was that they were Mohajirs.]
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During the last year thousands of MQM workers, leaders and elected
representatives were killed, kidnapped, arrested, tortured and
maimed. Their properties were looted and burnt under State patronage.
Suitable compensation be given to all those who suffered.
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Billions of rupees extorted by the personnel of the law enforcement
agencies particularly FIT and police as bribes from innocent Mohajirs
be recovered and returned to the victims. During rains household
valuables and jewelry were looted by the personnel of the law
enforcement agencies. The culprits involved be taken to task through
inquiry by an independent commission and losses be indemnified.
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Large number of Mohajirs were murdered in the custody of Army,
other law enforcement agencies and by their sponsored terrorist
group Haqiqi. The latest example of Mohajir genocide is the cold-blooded
murder of five young men in Sukkur by the law enforcement agencies.
A commission of Supreme Court and High Court judges be constituted
to investigate these heinous crimes with the power to punish the
culprits.
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All cases instituted or re-opened against MQM leaders, members
of Senate and Assemblies, workers and sympathisers are false,
fabricated and politically motivated. These cases be withdrawn
unconditionally. [Withdrawal of such cases, and commutation
of sentences of habitual criminals. Even in her present tenure
she has withdrawn thousands of cases registered against her party
workers.]
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Representation of Mohajirs in Sindh Police is negligible; therefore,
recruitment of Mohajirs in Sindh Police be made on emergency basis
to make it proportionate according to their population ratio.
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Educational institutions of interior of Sindh have been made
inaccessible for Mohajir students due to violence and armed attacks
in those campuses. At the same time Mohajir students were being
denied admission in professional educational institutions in the
urban areas mainly because of fake domicile and permanent residence
certificates. These malpractices need to be stopped.
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Massacre of Mohajirs has continued form time to time in Sindh,
the southern province of Pakistan. Thousands of Mohajir men, women
and children have been killed and injured, while women treated
degradingly. Large number of houses have been looted and set ablaze.
A high level commission of Supreme Court and High Court judges
be constituted to identify those responsible for massacre so that
culprits may be punished.
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MQM leaders, elected members and workers who are in various jails
of Sindh, are in fact political prisoners and should be given
"B" class as envisaged by Jail Manual.
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Constitutional and Democratic Rights of Mohajir Qoumi Movement
(MQM) of freely participating in the political activities are
being usurped due to high-handedness and machination of the government
and the law enforcement agencies.
Central office of MQM known as "NINE ZERO" has been raided
over fifty times during the ongoing operation clean up, properties and
equipment worth over 30 million rupees have been looted and destroyed.
All telephone/fax/mobile phones of the Central Office of MQM have been
disconnected without justification. Over 500 telephones of MQM leaders,
elected members and workers are also disconnected by the government.
Political victimisation be stopped against MQM, undeclared ban be lifted,
MQM be allowed to participate fully and freely, in the political activities,
its telephone lines be restored and full compensation be paid for loss
of properties and equipment.
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