ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) wants the government to take up the issue of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s alleged hate speech with the British authorities.

“Why has the government not taken up this issue with the British government since it is against British laws for anyone, including its own citizens, to use British territory to incite hatred and violence in another country?” PTI chairman Imran Khan asked in a statement issued here on Friday.

Also read: Altaf's remarks on army to be legally pursued: ISPR

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, when contacted, said the government had taken up the matter with the UK many times in the past, but the British authorities had refused to take any action merely on the basis of speeches, saying there was complete freedom of expression in their country.

He said the UK government wanted proof to establish links between a speech and any specific violent incident for trying a person.

The PTI leader expressed ‘shock’ and questioned `silence’ of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “over the hate-filled speech of Altaf Hussain, effectively inciting his followers to carrying arms and indulging 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?” he wondered.

In an apparent reference to the government’s response regarding Saudi Arabia and the Yemen crisis, he said it was unfortunate that the prime minister was so busy rushing around, showing concern for another country’s security, when his own country was in flames, especially Karachi.

Information minister says proof of link to violence needed for prosecution

Mr Khan said the National Action Plan against terrorism specifically called for disarming all militant groups and wings. “Why is the government not acting against the militant wings of political parties like the MQM?”

The PTI leader said it was inexplicable that when a police officer, SSP Rao Anwar, pointed out dangerous activities of the MQM, he was immediately removed instead of acting on the evidence.

“Worse still, a DSP, Fateh Mohammed, and other police personnel are murdered in a targeted attack the morning after Rao Anwar’s press conference and the government has maintained a bizarre silence,” he said.

Mr Khan said it was “shameful indeed” how all laws of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) were allowed to be violated when a British citizen gave “hate speeches to a captive audience” in Karachi from London and “incited them to violence against the state”.

He said the government’s silence following the British citizen’s attack on the Pakistan Army was “inexplicable as it is the job of the government to defend all state institutions”.

Meanwhile, the information minister said Mr Khan had himself gone to the UK to lodge a case against the MQM chief, but had been sent home by the British police to get proofs.

The minister said the UK authorities had said that their citizens delivered even more dangerous speeches against their own country but they could do nothing merely on the basis of the statements.

He said the government had asked Pemra to take action against TV channels for violation of its laws.

Commenting on the MQM chief’s remarks about the army, the minister said, “Irrational and unjustified criticism on national security institutions is tantamount to patronising criminal elements”.

“Patronising or sheltering criminals and mafias by political elements is tantamount to supporting them, which is not only condemnable but aimed at impeding the ongoing operation to eliminate them,” a statement issued by him said.

The national security institutions, he said, were apolitical and were apprehending criminals without any discrimination. The cases against such criminals would be decided by the independent judiciary and every one of them would have an ample opportunity to prove his or her innocence in court, he said.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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