MQM history
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Altaf (MQM-A) has been widely accused of human rights abuses since its founding two decades ago. It claims to represent Mohajirs- Urdu-speaking Muslims who fled to Pakistan from India after the 1947 partition of the subcontinent, and their descendants.
In the mid-1990s, the MQM-A was heavily involved in the widespread political violence that wracked Pakistans southern Sindh province, particularly Karachi, the port city that is the countrys commercial capital. MQM-A militants fought government forces, breakaway MQM factions, and militants from other ethnic-based movements. In the mid-1990s, the U.S. State Department, Amnesty International, and others accused the MQM-A and a rival faction of summary killings, torture, and other abuses (see, e.g., AI 1 Feb 1996; U.S. DOS Feb 1996). The MQM-A routinely denied involvement in violence.
In 1992, a breakway MQM faction, led by Afaq Ahmed and Aamir Khan, launched the MQM Haqiqi (MQM-H), literally the real MQM. Many Pakistani observers alleged that the MQM-H was supported by the government of Pakistan to weaken the main MQM led by Altaf Hussein, which became known as the MQM-A (Janes 14 Feb 2003). Several smaller MQM factions also emerged, although most of the subsequent intra-group violence involved the MQM-A and the MQM-H (AI 1 Feb 1996; U.S. DOS Feb 1999; Janes 14 Feb 2003).
Political violence in Sindh intensified in 1993 and 1994 (Janes 14 Feb 2003). In 1994, fighting among MQM factions and between the MQM and Sindhi nationalist groups brought almost daily killings in Karachi (U.S. DOS Feb 1995). By July 1995, the rate of political killings in the port city reached an average of ten per day, and by the end of that year more than 1,800 had been killed (U.S. DOS Feb 1996).
The violence in Karachi and other cities began abating in 1996 as soldiers and police intensified their crackdowns on the MQM-A and other groups (Janes 14 Feb 2003). Pakistani forces resorted to staged encounter killings in which they would shoot MQM activists and then allege that the killings took place during encounters with militants (U.S. DOS Feb 1996). Following a crackdown in 1997, the MQM-A adopted its present name, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or United National Movement, which also has the initials MQM (HRW Dec 1997).
MQM-A leader Hussein fled in 1992 to Britain, where he received asylum in 1999 (Janes 14 Feb 2003). The MQM-A is not on the U.S. State Departments list of foreign terrorist organizations (U.S. DOS 23 May 2003).
While the multifaceted nature of the violence in Sindh province in the 1980s and 1990s at times made it difficult to pinpoint specific abuses by the MQM-A, the group routinely was implicated in rights abuses. In 1992 after the Sindh government called in the army to crack down on armed groups in the province, facilities were discovered that allegedly were used by the MQM-A to torture and at times kill dissident members and activists from rival groups. In 1996, Amnesty International said that the PPP and other parties were reporting that some of their activists had been tortured and killed by the MQM-A (AI 1 Feb 1996).
The MQM-A and other factions also have been accused of trying to intimidate journalists. In one of the most flagrant cases, in 1990 MQM leader Hussein publicly threatened the editor of the monthly NEWSLINE magazine after he published an article on the MQMs alleged use of torture against dissident members (U.S. DOS Feb 1991). The following year, a prominent journalist, Zafar Abbas, was severely beaten in Karachi in an attack that was widely blamed on MQM leaders angered over articles by Abbas describing the partys factionalization. The same year, MQM activists assaulted scores of vendors selling DAWN, Pakistans largest English-language newspaper, and other periodicals owned by Herald Publications (U.S. DOS Feb 1992).
The MQM-A has also frequently called strikes in Karachi and other cities in Sindh province and used killings and other violence to keep shops closed and people off the streets. During strikes, MQM-A activists have ransacked businesses that remained open and attacked motorists and pedestrians who ventured outside (U.S. DOS Feb 1996; Janes 14 Feb 2003).
The MQM-A allegedly raises funds through extortion, narcotics smuggling, and other criminal activities. In addition, Mohajirs in Pakistan and overseas provide funds to the MQM-A through charitable foundations (Janes 14 Feb 2003).
Since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States, the MQM-A has been increasingly critical of Islamic militant groups in Pakistan. The MQM-A, which generally has not targeted Western interests, says that it supports the global campaign against terrorism (Janes 14 Feb 2003).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RIC within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References:
Amnesty International (AI). HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS IN KARACHI (1 Feb 1996, ASA 33/01/96),
Document Information | Amnesty International ... of=ENG-PAK [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
Human Rights Watch (HRW). WORLD REPORT 1998, Pakistan (Dec 1997),
http://www.hrw.org/worldreport/Asia-09.htm#P823_214912 [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
Janes Information Group (Janes). JANES WORLD INSURGENCY AND TERRORISM-17, Muthida [sic] Qaumi Movement (MQM-A) (14 Feb 2003),
Jane's Information Group [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). Foreign Terrorist Organizations (23 May 2003),
Page Not Found [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1998, Pakistan (Feb 1999),
Page Not Found ... istan.html [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1996, Pakistan (Feb 1997),
Page Not Found ... istan.html [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1995, Pakistan (Feb 1996),
Index of /ERC/democracy ... istan.html [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1994, Pakistan (Feb 1995),
Index of /ERC/democracy ... istan.html [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1991, Pakistan (Feb 1992).
U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS). COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1990, Pakistan (Feb 1991).
Attachments:
Janes Information Group (Janes). JANES WORLD INSURGENCY AND TERRORISM-17, Muthida [sic] Qaumi Movement (MQM-A) (14 Feb 2003),
Jane's Information Group [Accessed 6 Feb 2004]
Source: UNHCR
UNHCR | Refworld | Pakistan: Information on Mohajir/Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Altaf (MQM-A)
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