Lawyers condemn London leader speech to terrorise karachites
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The Association of Pakistani Lawyers (APL) a team of Pakistani origin lawyers, Solicitors, Barristers and ex pat members have condemned the MQM Chief’s speech seeking division of Karachi from Pakistan and telephonic threats of physical violence against young protestors, media anchors and civil society.
APL termed The speech, poisonous, deadly and based on race hate and we highly condemn it and term it unbefitting to the stature of the leader of a Political party and unacceptable in any democratic civilized society seeking equality & justice. APL today has sought action from British Govt against its citizen forthwith under inherent powers given by UK legislation as well as Crime and Disorder Act 1998 & Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 forthwith as such incitement to violence and hatred is unacceptable.
APL noted that Media reported on May 13, 2013 Altaf Hussain saying,
“Stop hating us and don’t force us to demand a separate province or country,” said Altaf, asking his supporters to be mentally prepared as he would call on them in a day or two, and then he will “see who is capable of creating havoc in the city.”
He said that if parties want to criticize them then they should do so with proofs, and not indulge in abusive language. Listing the party’s middle class credential, the MQM chief lashed out at protesting PTI activists gathered at Teen Talwar in Clifton calling them the “burger” class. “I don’t want to fight with you, otherwise my people could have turned the symbolic Teen Talwar into real sword on one order of mine.”
“If media and politicians continue their conspiracies against us then…we will break their arms,” he warned.
Association of Pakistani Lawyers (APL) strongly condemn the unbefitting speech of the MQM chief threatening all at sundry sitting at London considering it a safe haven as Things are changing in Pakistan and Pak leader is in a denial of this change and either is unwilling to submit to this change or not willing to run with the flow, failing to move an inch. Message is loud and clear that violence is no more and oppression is history in Pakistan.
APL confirmed that it earlier demanded a judicial probe into 12th May killing which cost many lives unnecessarily and it is a relevant subject for Pakistanis and it must be rightly investigated, so as attacks and the killings at Nishtar park in Karachi. APL warned that MQM will have to review their politics too if they ever wish to advance to other mainstream areas of Pakistan as they have a convincing manifesto to woo middle classes but always is high jacked when crunch came, and 12th May 2007 is one of those weaker moments. To us, world is closely knit into global village and media’s role is greater than we ever envisaged. The images we saw in Karachi on 12 May 2007 and MQM chief’s recent speeches pose a serious question to Pakistani elite to de-weaponise Karachi to promote free exercise of the democratic right of vote. Rule of law, free press, and democracy cannot go hand in hand with blackmailing and rule of bullet.
APL noted with great concern the role of exiled fire brands that are inciting racial hatred abroad which results in killing of innocent human beings. APL raised this issue with British Govt on 17 May 2007 and once again raised this issue with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown & Home Secretary Jacqui Smith on 11 April 2008 which a question that Britain may be under a retaliatory threat to its public order due to unlawful events developing on and after 12th May 2007 in Karachi which were repeated on 9th April 2008 which virtually held the city in a siege for 6 hours and the city observed the worst lawlessness which did not spare media personnel too and any possible links of UK in this.
At that time, Responding on behalf of British Govt Juliet McCarmmon wrote to APL Secretary condemning such acts and assuring the UK lawyers of the available protection and remedies available under existing legislation. She said
She wrote as following,
“Thank you for your letter of 11 April 2008 addressed to the Home Secretary about incitement to racial hatred in Karachi on 9April 2008, which you allege is by people in London. I have been asked to reply. The Government abhors all forms of violence and deplores the atrocities that occurred in the riots in Karachi on 9 April 2008.Where a crime has been committed or if there is an allegation of crime, a complaint must be made to the local police. It’s the police’s duty to investigate. If they do and identify evidence against one or more suspects, they must notify the Crown Prosecution Service. The CPS will then consider whether a prosecution is needed in the public interest. You say at Paragraph 3 of your letter that a particular individual is suspected of being to blame for the riots. If you have any evidence that this person, encouraged the riots that took place in Karachi you should report the matter to the police who will take the appropriate measures to deal with the matter. We have introduced a number of offences for tackling race and religious related hate crimes. For example, nine racially-aggravated offences were introduced in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which included assaults, criminal damage and harassment, which make available to the courts higher maximum penalties where this is evidence of racist motivation or racial hostility in connection with offence. The Act also requires a judge or magistrate dealing with any offence that is racially aggravated to state in open court that they have found it to be aggravated, and meriting an increased sentence. The offences also give a higher profile to the racial elements in crimes by requiring the police to look for evidence at the earliest possible opportunity, and by ensuring that the racial element of a crime goes before the jury. Juliet McCammon, 10/06/08”
APL confirmed that, “British Govt was warned in 2007 that if at this juncture it neglects to check the perpetration and penetration of violence from ‘London hub’ directed at Karachi or somewhere else, it will not be able to absolve its duty to protect British public if tomorrow that violence breeds violence and bounce back and its effects reaches to the shore of London. They did not pay heed to those saner calls and readers witnessed that their neglect has caused Dr Imran Farooq his life. It may cost many more, before reaching to a saturation point unless British Govt acts fast and as a policy end these ‘safe heavens’ as a ploy to seek international gains”.
The Association of Pakistani Lawyers (APL) earlier condemned the killing of a Pakistani politician and an ex parliamentarian Dr Imran Farooq, a former member of the MQM. Detectives in London are probing the murder of the Pakistani politician and are looking for at least two killers.
APL Chair, Amjad Malik said: "APL earlier demanded the British Home Secretary Theresa May to take serious notice of the foregn fire brands and the killings and open a wider investigation into the murder of Dr Imran Farooq to rule out all possibilities in order to avoid further unrest in the city.
On 16 May 2013, APL now has demanded the British Home Secretary Theresa May for a meaningful and swift action on the speech of MQM Chief as action will be a litmus test whether Britain is interested to cap a leader who is using London as a safe haven to spread terror overseas.” "Britain must not allow anyone to take law in their hands and this message must be stronger to avoid further public unrest," APL chair said,
APL asked the State of Pakistan and that of Chief Justice to take action and end the long telethons by British fire brand which promote terror and violence in the city. Surely if a dual national can not be a member of Parliament then parity requires that he may not be the chief of a political party having the capacity to influence his workers, voters, supporters and opponents.
Barrister Amjad Malik, MA, LLM
Chair Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK)-
ROCHDALE
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