KARACHI, Nov 24: In a scathing attack on some political parties which have been holding sit-ins and demonstrations in protest against US drone attacks but have chosen to remain silent on the killing of innocent people in acts of terrorism, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has termed them “enemies of humanity” for condoning “ruthless terrorism”.

He urged the government, patriotic political and religious parties and prominent persons of all schools of thought to distinguish between friends and enemies of humanity. “We have to unite against the beasts who are killing innocent people belonging to different schools of thought,” he said while speaking at an MQM meeting in London.

According to a press release issued by the party on Sunday, he said that ruthless terrorists who had “butchered” personnel of security forces, attacked military installations, mosques, Imambargahs and shrines and killed innocent people were “enemies of humanity”. So were the religious and political parties which were supporting them.

Mr Hussain urged people belonging to different schools of thought to put aside their differences and unite against terrorists and their supporters.

He condemned what he called “hypocrisy” of the parties which were holding demonstrations against drone strikes and also “begging for US aid”.

The MQM leader said the country was confronted with internal and external threats and people were facing hunger, unemployment and other problems.

He directed elected representatives belonging to the MQM to work for the solution of people’s problems and also pay attention to legislation so that people could easily get justice.

He discussed the situation in Pakistan and the steps needed for forging unity among Muslims and propagating sectarian harmony in the country.

Speaking to the MQM’s lawmakers and office-bearers on Saturday evening, Mr Hussain asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to tell the nation in clear terms that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and those directly or indirectly supporting its actions were enemies of Islam and Pakistan.

He said that some parties were holding demonstrations in protest against a drone strike in Hangu on Thursday. The next day two bomb blasts took place in Karachi’s Ancholi area and the TTP claimed responsibility for them.

“It is the height of hypocrisy that the parties have not protested against the blasts and have instead served to undermine the killing of innocent people by staging sit-ins against drone attacks.”