KARACHI, April 15: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has said that his party wants peace but this desire of the MQM should not be considered as its weakness.

He urged the government as well as the opposition to adopt a positive approach so that the democratic process was not derailed.

“The government and the opposition should coexist and play their role in accordance with the constitution and the law so that the country can be steered out of internal and external crises,” said Mr Hussain while speaking to a workers’ meeting held at the Jinnah Ground on Tuesday.

A large number of workers, including women, attended the event. Mr Hussain’s speech was relayed simultaneously in Karachi and Hyderabad.

He informed his workers about a talk process between the Pakistan People’s Party and the MQM. He said that members of the ruling party did not show any seriousness and during the talks they started issuing statements, after which the coordination committee decided to end the dialogue and join the opposition in parliament.

Without naming the PPP, he deplored what he called threatening statements about removal of the Sindh governor and disbanding of the city government, and said that they could do whatever they wanted because they were in government, but the MQM would not tolerate such a threatening attitude. “We do not want confrontation and want reconciliation, but no one can threaten us,” he said adding: “If anyone thinks that he can continue his government for a long period by using state power, then I want to inform him that this is not 1992 and this is 2008. On June 19, 1992 an army operation was launched to crush the MQM but if they did not succeed at that time, how can they crush us today.”

He asked the workers whether they were prepared mentally and physically to face any crisis, upon which the participants of the meeting raised their hands to show their readiness in this regard.

Workers also supported the party’s decision to join the opposition when Mr Hussain had sought their opinion about it.

“Should we bow before those who are threatening us?” said the MQM chief to which all activists unanimously replied in the negative.

He directed the MQM workers to play their role in maintaining peace and order, avoid taking any emotional step on rumours and confirm all news from the leadership before taking any step.

He made it clear that the party wanted peace and it was never interested in getting ministries. “But our desire for peace should not be considered as our weakness,” he added.

Mr Hussain advised the government and the opposition to accept their coexistence and not to take any step which might harm the democratic process and the spirit of national reconciliation.

He assured the government that the MQM would play the role of a constructive opposition in the National Assembly, the provincial assembly and in the Senate and support positive steps of the government and criticise its wrong acts.

He praised efforts of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and City Nazim Mustafa Kamal.