ISLAMABAD: Welco­m­ing MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s apology over his controversial remarks about the armed forces, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has advised him and others to be “careful” in future while speaking on issues related to the “country’s security and national interests”.

“The apology tendered by Muttahida chief Altaf Hussain is a good step,” the prime minister said in a statement issued on Saturday, hours after the Balochistan Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning Mr Hussain’s recent speech in which he made objectionable remarks about the country’s military.

The issue is also likely to be raised in the coming sessions of the Senate and other provincial assemblies. The Senate and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly are scheduled to meet on Monday.

An official statement issued by the PML-Q in Lahore said the party was planning to move a resolution against the MQM chief in the Senate.

Saeed Ghani, parliamentary leader of PPP in the Senate, however, said bringing resolutions on such statements in the legislatures was not a good idea. He was of the view that if this practice took off, “we will, perhaps, have to pass a resolution every week”.

Apology tendered by Muttahida chief Altaf Hussain welcomed

Mr Sharif said that matters pertaining to the country’s security and national interests were extremely sensitive and “one should be careful while saying something on the subject”.

Such irresponsible statements, he said, not only hurt the integrity of national institutions but also the public’s feelings and sentiments.

In his statement, the prime minister said the government was responsible for protecting the integrity and respect of the armed forces as they were defenders of the nation.

He also urged media to adhere to the code of conduct in accordance with the law and constitution and ensure that no irresponsible statement was promoted.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asim Bajwa had, on Friday, condemned the MQM chief’s statement, saying the matter would be pursued legally.

Hours after a strong reaction from the army, the MQM chief apologised to “national security institutions” and “all patriots” for his remarks about the 1971 war and the call to India’s intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for help, saying the remarks had been made “satirically”.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had questioned the PM’s silence “over Altaf Hussain’s hate-filled speech, effectively inciting his followers to carry arms and indulge in violence”.

“Why was the ISPR DG compelled to respond to UK citizen Altaf Hussain’s hysterical, but not new, outburst against the institution of the Pakistan Army?” Mr Khan said on Friday .

“It is also time the PM should look to the country’s security and well-being before rushing off to provide succour to other countries,” Mr Khan had remarked in an apparent reference to the government’s open support to Saudi Arabia over the Yemen crisis.

The PTI chief had said that the government’s silence was “inexplicable as it is its job to defend all state institutions”.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2015

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