Daily Times

An outcry was witnessed amongst MQM supporters when MQM supremo Altaf Hussain announced his resignation as party leader on Sunday. Due to an emotional and vociferous appeal from his supporters to take back his decision, Altaf Hussain retracted his resignation some hours later. Altaf Hussain had resigned on ‘moral’ grounds after his house in the UK was raided by the London Metropolitan Police in connection with Imran Farooq’s murder case. Allegations had previously surfaced concerning Altaf Hussain’s involvement in the murder of Imran Farooq, who had served as Secretary General and also the parliamentary leader of MQM in the late 1980s. Due to disagreements with Altaf Hussain, Imran Farooq had been inactive in politics for many years. He was brutally stabbed in 2010 while returning to his residence in London. Altaf Hussain, in an address to his party workers, dismissed his involvement in Imran Farooq’s murder and said that an international conspiracy was being hatched against him. Furthermore, he stated that the notion that the MQM leadership was intolerant of dissenting members was untrue. The investigation into Imran Farooq’s case has gained momentum recently as the British police have formally sent a request to Pakistan to gain access to two key suspects in Imran Farooq’s murder case allegedly in the custody of the Pakistani authorities. Former interior minister Rehman Malik had previously denied that the suspects in question were in the custody of the Pakistani authorities. It would be interesting to hear what the incumbent minister for interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, has to say on this issue. Altaf Hussain in his address warned the British authorities that involving him in this case would only prove harmful for Britain. However, he also said that he would represent himself in any court of law if the need arises and accept the verdict of any court.

Al this comes at a time when the MQM is struggling to hold on to its strongholds in the cities of Sindh. The emergence of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf as a potent political force in Karachi has provided an alternative to many middle and upper class individuals who previously supported the MQM. Moreover, the rise of new extortion rings vying for turf has intensified the power wars in Karachi. MQM’s recent overhauling of its top leadership is also testament to the fact that the party is not happy with the way things are going. In view of all these developments, Altaf Hussain will have his hands full in trying to deal with the problems he and his party face. *