Partition of India weakened Muslims: MQM

Lahore, June 29 (ANI): MQM chief Altaf Hussain has said the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 weakened Muslims, as it divided their power.

In an interview with Najam Sethi on Dunya News, Altaf said the partition harmed the Muslims, as a result of the formation of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and divided their power into three parts.

He said there would have been no partition had the Congress accepted the Quaid-e-Azam's 14 points.

Altaf said few people knew that even Allama Iqbal had not demanded the establishment of Pakistan in his famous Allahabad address in 1930.

"He had in fact demanded the creation of Muslim states in the Muslim majority areas," he said, adding that Iqbal son Justice (r) Javed Iqbal could confirm this.

Altaf said that both Pakistan and India should learn a lesson from European countries and normalise their relations.

He said it was unfortunate that the ruling elite of India had always projected Pakistan as a threat to India while the Pakistani ruling elite had always 'taught' Pakistani masses that India was a threat to Pakistan.

He said several wars had been fought in Europe, including the First and Second World Wars, yet European countries had learnt a lesson from these wars and forged a unity, manifested in the European Union.

Altaf requested the Indian leadership and Pakistani establishment to follow the European example and work towards improving relations between the two countries. (ANI)