Adil Najam
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The murder of Dr. Imran Farooq – one of the founders of MQM, a central figure in the development of the party and a key architect of its conceptual and ideological foundations – in London has sent shock around Pakistani political circles, particularly in Karachi.
Once second in prominence in MQM circles only to Altaf Hussain, Imran Farooq has been out of political news for many years now and had distanced himself – or been distanced – from mainstream day-to-day MQM affairs. The reasons why have remained unclear but the stuff of rumor mills. His murder in London is bound to reignite the rumor mills again. Indeed, they already have.
It remains unclear what happened in London. But it is clear that the repercussions of what happened there will be felt in Karachi and beyond well into and after the 10-day "mourning period" declared by MQM. Right now all television channels seem more engrossed in showing MQM leader Altaf Hussain’s near hysterical breakdown at MQM’s London offices, but we need to also begin thinking through the many critical questions that remain unanswered: Was this a run of the mill mugging and murder in a large international metropolis, or an international political targeting? If the later, who was behind it and why? But most important of all: what, if anything, does this mean for MQM; and by extension for Karachi and Pakistan?
Details still remain sketchy and there are more rumors floating than facts. This report from Dawn lays out the essential details:
Dr Imran Farooq, a founding leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the organisation’s first secretary general, was assassinated in London on Thursday evening. Dr Farooq also served as the party’s only convener.
Television reports, quoting party and family sources, said Dr Farooq was attacked by some unidentified men with daggers near his London residence. He died of multiple wounds. But according to one source, a lone assailant had been lying in wait inside the apartment block where Dr Farooq lived on the first floor. He was attacked with a knife when he was climbing the stairs. He died on the spot.
At first the MQM leadership tried to keep the murder under wraps. Meetings in different cities to mark the 57th birthday of the party’s founding leader, Altaf Hussain, were suddenly cancelled for “unavoidable reasons” and supporters were told by senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar to go home. Tens of thousands of people had assembled in different places in Karachi, Hyderabad and other towns in Sindh to celebrate their leader’s birthday.
At the same time, the MQM leadership in Karachi and London went into closed-door sessions to discuss the situation arising out of the development. Reports from London said the police had cordoned off the apartment block and preliminary investigations had begun. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far and no arrests have been made.
Dr Imran Farooq is remembered by Muttahida loyalists as one of the key figures who laid the foundation for the All Pakistan Mohajir Students’ Organisation (APMSO), which eventually turned out to be a forerunner of the MQM. During the early 1980s, the APMSO was converted into a fully fledged political party to advocate the cause of the Urdu-speaking popuce, mainly in Karachi and other parts of urban Sindh. With Altaf Hussain as its leader, the bespectacled Dr Farooq was appointed secretary general of the party. He was also regarded as one of the main ideologues and the brain behind education of the party cadre.
When in 1992 Altaf Hussain went into self-imposed exile in the wake of a military crackdown, Dr Farooq went underground in Karachi, running the party from hiding. Although he was declared absconder by the then government, he continued to dodge the authorities. Eventually he managed to slip out of the country on a fake passport and under an assumed name. After arriving in London, he applied for political asylum. In the initial years he was one of the main players who helped Altaf Hussain oversee the party’s restructuring from London.
However, a couple of years ago differences emerged, sending Dr Farooq into obscurity. Since then he had been living the life of a recluse, with no role in party affairs. Even then his brutal killing sent the Muttahida rank and file into a daze, leaving them searching for answers.
Cotton checkoff program continuing to pay excellent dividends.
Western Farm Press (Online Exclusive) February 14, 2012 Byline: Hembree Brandon The dollars that American cotton producers and importers invest in the Cotton Research and Promotion Program continue to produce “a fine report card,” says Bill Gillon, president and chief executive officer of the Cotton Board at Memphis.
Since the establishment of the checkoff program in 1966, the continuing vision of cotton producers and industry leaders has kept cotton “an economic fixture in the U.S., helping provide an economic return to their families and communities,” he said at the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Commodity Conference.
Today, as a result of the research and promotion efforts of Cotton Incorporated, Gillon says, “More consumers believe cotton and cotton blends are best suited for todayas fashions than another fabric. Natural fibers, such as cotton, are perceived as being of a better quality than non-natural fibers.
“Ninety percent of consumers believe cotton is safe for the environment, and significantly, you own one of the most trusted, widely respected, and well-known brands in the world: the Seal of Cotton. ” And, he says, an economic analysis by Texas A&M and Texas Tech Universities, has shown that every $1 invested by producers in the checkoff program generates a return of almost $9, and for every $1 invested by importers there is a $15 return. go to web site christmas tree tax
In the research arena, Gillon notes, Cotton Incorporated has been in the forefront of new techniques and technology to improve cotton production, cotton uses, and cotton marketing, including the cotton module builder, the Engineered Fiber Selection System, wrinkle-resistant technology, the Engineered Knit program, EasiFlo Cottonseed, Tough Cotton durable press technology, and a host of developments to assist world textile mills in a more effective, efficient use of cotton.
Cotton Incorporated also developed one of the worldas most effective marketing campaigns, “The Fabric of Our Lives,” which has helped not only to boost sales of cotton products, but to create an image in consumersa minds that cotton represents superior quality and sustainability. here christmas tree tax
“The vision of cotton industry leaders in the 1950s and 1960s a at a time when the industry was in serious decline and man-made fiber manufacturers were pouring tens of millions of dollars into research and promotion of polyester, Dacron, and other fibers a created the Research and Promotion program that gave our industry a second life, and has continued opening new doors for cotton and its products,” Gillon says.
Challenges and opportunities The leaders guiding todayas program and investing checkoff dollars “are forward-thinking individuals, who are anticipating upcoming challenges and opportunities for our industry.” As an example of recent challenges, he cites the performance apparel company, Under Armour, which had dubbed “cotton as the enemy,” but when they introduced a new line of Charged-Cotton apparel based on research by Cotton Incorporated, “consumers flocked to their products and they posted amazing revenue gains. Thanks to Cotton Incorporated, cotton is now a major player in the performance apparel market.” On another front, last November, Gillon says, the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, “started a firestorm when they opposed what they dubbed a+-Obamaas Christmas tree tax.a “When it was pointed out that there was no tax a just an effort by Christmas tree growers to compete with imported, artificial trees through a new research and promotion program a the attack spread to all other checkoff programs, with the argument that government/private partnerships donat work and should never be supported.
“Within two weeks a senator from South Carolina, which produces a significant amount of cotton, introduced an amendment to eliminate all research and promotion programs a and the cotton program was first on the list.” It was “sad,” Gillon says, that what cotton industry leaders worked so hard to construct could “so quickly and foolishly be thrown on the trash heap in the name of political expediency.
“I was taught not to throw out the baby with the bath water, and Iam concerned when politicians argue forcefully to overnight throw away strong, successful programs like the Cotton Research and Promotion Program, which is a model of effectiveness.” The program “has given back economic returns many times over” from the dollars invested, Gillon says.
“I encourage everyone in the industry to remain sensitive to the vision that led to the creation of this and other checkoff programs, and to remain involved in your local cotton organizations so you can take advantage of your ownership of this program and help to steer the course for cotton.
“We should never forget what it took to get us here. We should be diligent and honest about the challenges we face, and we should continue to work collectively and cooperatively to secure our industryas future.”
One lac rupees per day, a minister’s expanditure…OMG! Please these minsters are no street people; they are from an elite class, owners of acres and acres of farmland, properties, businesses, and what not. They should be serving free. As a token give them Rs 100 per day, toffee lein lein ge ja ke bhanje bhatijion k lye.
Common people of pakistan have been enduring the giant problems of Inflation , unemployment and government corruption for a few years. Pakistanis get ready for another blow! Your government is going to impose three different taxes of Rs.80 billion. These taxes are reformed GST, increase in the percentage of income tax from 2-3% to 10% and a high-amount property tax for urban areas. The most cruel part of these ruthless taxes is that they would be imposed on the middle and lower class only. No tax is going to be imposed on the upper or the elite class. It is time to wake up. How would the already suffering people of pakistan be able to pay these cruel taxes . Why don’t our corrupt rulers impose taxes on the riches ? Why don’t they impose agriculture tax ?. The answer is simple that the elite class is actually the ruling class. I don’t see anything stopping the imposition of these taxes so get ready for the miserable life waiting for you. Pakistan is a poor country for its common people only because the elite class of our country has a life style which is highly luxurious than the rich people of western countries. What is the need of a 90-minister-cabinet. According to Transparency international a single minister’s expenditure is Rs.1 lac per day. Yes , you hear me right, it is rupees One lac per day. So how can one say that pakistan is a poor country. Pakistan is a poor country but for its common people only.
Why this sudden love lost for Afia?Another tantrum like stage managed crying session.Probably there has been some tail twisting by MI5.
@ Aman Pasand
well British “establishment” has been providing asylum to persons who confronted with (or faced the anger of) the establishment of Pakistan. It is a policy to assist and help those who defied the taboo of establishment in Pakistan. In Zia regime, countless people fled to UK and requested asylum on the grounds of political victimization. Altaf falls in the same category, but with a slight twist. He, without any doubt, holds very tight grip over the pulse of Pakistan’s financial hub. It was/is in British interests to allow MQM’s Pakistani political activities being directed and monitored in UK.
However, they will NEVER allow any violence in UK to tarnish their law and order. This is exactly why MQM has always stayed away from street politics in UK while other pakistani parties, PPP, PML, PTI have been protesting in different parts of UK on various issues. MQM never wanted to create any problem for British authorities because it would eventually be problematic for MQM itself. This attitude kept MQM in good books of the other side.
Murder of Imran Farooq is a big trouble for both UK authorities and MQM. And as i said earlier, most likely scenarios bothering UK can be the element of gang war or import of Karachi conflict to UK. This is why they are looking at the MQM setup with renewed skepticism and fresh angles.
@Naan Haleem
Your assesment has substance.Do you think the reasons for MI15 jumping in could be the same that prompted them to give citizenship and allow such network?
@ Classof71
Nice comments but i think it is useless as i see very bias people present here who will never understand all this and will be further become frustrated.
ٹر گئے اپنی واری سب امیر وزیر
جو کرن گے سو پھرن گئے کہ گئے – بھگت فقیر
@ Aman Pasand
Please tell me the name of any mafia associated party who fought and won the elections in the world ??!!