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MQM calls local govt nursery of democracy
Altaf suggests equal rights, opportunities for all people
INPLONDON – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has said that democracy is a system which guarantees social, political and economic rights to people in any polity and allows them to live their life freely according to their religious beliefs.
“In a democratic system, the people as a whole have equal rights on national resources. It is unfortunate that the real democracy could not take roots in our country during the past 67 years,” he said in his message on the International Day of Democracy.
The MQM chief regretted that successive governments, beating their own trumpet about democracy, failed to pay attention to solving the basic problems. He said that the system of local government – which is considered the nursery of democracy – was never implemented and hence the fruit of democracy could not reach the common people.
He said that the people across the length and breadth of Pakistan were suffering from poverty and backwardness. Only a few families, feudal lords and corrupt rich people were maintaining a menacing grip on the 98 per cent poor people, he said, adding this was being called democracy in Pakistan.
“Islam gives equal rights to all people living in a society and does not differentiate between people on the basis of caste, colour and creed. As against this clear message, our rulers have been usurping the rights of the oppressed and disadvantaged people by slanted interpretation of the Islamic teachings,” he said.
Commenting on the prevailing condition in Pakistan, Altaf said that Pakistan was being isolated at internal levels and the biggest reason for this isolation was the widening disparity between the rich and the poor. He said the cruel joke being done to the people in the name of democracy had brought the situation to a pass from where the hope for returning was fading.
“Pakistan is continuously heading towards backwardness,” he said. The perilous situation demands the implementation of real democratic system in order to solve the problems of common people at their doorstep, he said. The disparity between the rich and the poor should be removed and all people should be given equal rights and opportunities, he said.
The MQM chief suggested that the educated and qualified people belonging to the poor and middle classes should be engaged in national politics so that they may become a part of better decisions for Pakistan.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk