Pakistan to rename Altaf Hussain University in retaliation

Indicates the growing animosity against the leader of the country's fourth largest political party

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Pakistan's Sindh province on Monday decided to change the name of the Altaf Hussain University, indicating the growing animosity against the leader of the country's fourth largest political party.

The move to rename the Altaf Hussain University as Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah University was taken by the Sindh Cabinet following the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's supremo's Altaf Hussain's "anti-Pakistan" remarks, The Express Tribune reported.

Interestingly, the move comes days after the 63-year-old Pakistani politician, who lives in exile in London, had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak out against the brutality of Pakistan Army against Muhajirs, who are Urdu- speaking people who migrated from India during partition.

The decision to change the name of the university was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, it said.

"There is no need to establish a university after Altaf Hussain who works in the hands of anti-Pakistan elements to destabilise the country," the chief minister said.

Addressing a news conference following the Cabinet meeting, Sindh Health Minister Sikander Mahendro said it was a joint suggestion by the cabinet members to change the name of the universities.

"After the statements given by Altaf Hussain, if we still establish a university under his name it will mean that we are not loyal to our jobs," he said.

"Our conscience forced us to think a person who speaks against the country "should not be given so much importance", he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

Fatima Jinnah is the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

Following the Cabinet's approval, the amendment will be made in "Altaf Hussain University Act 2014", the report said.

Sindh Assembly had earlier unanimously passed private bills to establish Altaf Hussain universities in Karachi and Hyderabad. The bill was moved by the MQM.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Altaf Hussain University in Hyderabad was performed in January 2015.

Last month, the Interior Ministry had said that it would soon issue a red warrant against Hussain who is wanted in several cases in the country, including those relating to terrorism.

The red warrant is an international notice sent to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) seeking the arrest and extradition of an individual.

The approval for the red warrant was issued apparently in compliance with the orders of an anti-terrorism court, which is hearing three identical cases against Hussain pertaining to his August 22 anti-state speech.