LAHORE: A full bench of Lahore High Court rejected the interior ministry’s report about taking action against the MQM head in London for making statements against Pakistan and initiating high treason proceedings against the party chief. It directed the secretary to submit a clear and comprehensive reply about registration of a treason case against Altaf Hussain. Secretary interior Arif Khan on Wednesday submitted a report that showed cases were registered against Altaf Hussain in Sindh for making hate speeches under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other laws. The report stated that these cases were pending adjudication before the trial courts. The reported disclosed that the cases against Altaf Hussain had been discussed with the British government in the recent past and also raised by interior minister Chaudhry Nisar on his recent visit to England. According to a report, advice had been sought from the election commission of Pakistan on possible action to be taken against the MQM. The report stated that MQM as a political party was registered in the name of Farooq Sattar and Altaf was not elected/notified an office bearer of the MQM, but the official letterhead of MQM carried the name of Altaf Hussain as founder of the party. The report further stated that the interior minister had the authority to give final approval regarding the registration of a treason case. The instructions from the minister could not be sought due to the minister’s health problem. A law officer of the federal government submitted that the government believed in good governance and honoured the court’s decision. He sought more time for the submission of the required reply. A bench comprising Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu and Justice Erum Sajjad Gull was hearing petitions moved by advocates Muhammad Azhar Siddique, Sardar Aftab Virk and others seeking cancellation of MQM’s registration as political party and action against Altaf Hussain under treason charges. The head of the bench jokingly asked the law officer to bring a letter from any prince other than that of Qatar’s if the reply was not filed. The petitioners had sought cancellation of MQM’s registration as political party and action against Altaf Hussain under treason charges. They claimed that Altaf Hussain was a British national and no foreign citizen could become head of a political party in Pakistan under the Political Parties Act. The petitioners asserted that the speeches of Altaf established that the MQM was more of a terrorist outfit than a political party. They said that the government had the authority to cancel the registration of a political party and an application was moved to the federal government, but so far no action had been taken.