ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has apologized to the military establishment including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and Director General (DG) Sindh Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar for his anti-Pakistan speech a day earlier.
“From the depth of my heart, I beg pardon from my remarks against Pakistan, the establishment including General Raheel Sharif and DG Rangers,” Altaf said in a statement issued by the member of MQM’s Central Coordination Committee Wasay Jalil on his official twitter account on Tuesday.
Pls read and share important statement of F&L #AltafHussain #MQM #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/bKOvW5lAde
— Wasay Jalil (@WasayJalil) August 23, 2016
On Monday while addressing the MQM’s workers who were staging a hunger strike outside the Karachi Press Club, Altaf Hussain made a vitriolic speech and raised slogans against Pakistan.
“Pakistan is cancer for entire world,” the MQM Chief said. “Pakistan is headache for the entire world. Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism for the entire world. Who says long live Pakistan…it’s down with Pakistan.”
In his apology seeking statement, Altaf Hussain said that he was under severe mental stress over extra-judicial arrests and the condition of his workers sitting at the hunger strike camp set up by his party outside the Karachi Press Club.
“Being a Pakistani, I assure the Pakistani people, establishment, army, ISI, all higher authorities and leaders that I will never use such words again,” he said in the statement.
The MQM Chief also regretted the violence against media houses that were attacked in the aftermath of his speech and asked for the release of MQM leaders who were later arrested.
Under the directives of Altaf Hussain, the MQM activists including women also stormed the offices of media houses including ARY NEWS and Samaa and harassed the staff besides damaging the property.
