Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday made a formal demand to the United Kingdom to shut Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s London secretariat as it was being used against Pakistan, officials here said.

The interior ministry earlier in the day sought evidence from the law enforcement institutions that links the Karachi unrest to MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s provocative speech.

The ministry directed the law enforcement agencies to provide all CCTV recordings, footages by the electronic media and other evidence immediately, said an official.

A special team of the interior ministry will visit the UK along with evidence which will be provided to the Scotland Yard and the UK government, said the official. Based on the obtained evidence, action will also be taken as per the constitution in Pakistan, the official added.

Officials at the foreign ministry said the Pakistani High Commission had contacted the British government and demanded that MQM’s international secretariat based in London should be closed as it was becoming intolerable for the Pakistanis due to hate speeches by Altaf Hussain.

“The available evidences including Altaf Hussain’s hateful and provocative speeches have (already) been given to the British government,” said an official.

Pakistan’s High Commission in London said the MQM’s international secretariat had been a ‘centre of conspiracies’ against Pakistan. Officials here claimed the British home ministry had briefed Prime Minister Theresa May based on the information provided by the Pakistani High Commission to the British authorities and an action was expected soon.

Lord Nazir Ahmed, a member of the British House of Lords of Pakistan origin, also wrote to Scotland Yard to launch an enquiry against the MQM chief.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said the previous day the government was sending a formal reference against Altaf Hussain to the UK government over his hate speeches and inciting party workers to violence.

He said the government would not tolerate anti-state acts and strict action will be taken against the elements uttering hateful words about the state and its institutions.

Arrests: MQM MNA Asif Hasnain was detained at Karachi airport before he could fly to Islamabad yesterday. He was taken away by personnel of security agencies and shifted to unknown location for interrogation.

Officials said religious scholar Amir Liaquat Hussain, who recently announced to quit the MQM, could also be arrested over several cases. The cleric-cum-politician is nominated as ‘facilitator’ in three different cases registered against him in Malir police station. Amir claimed he has receiving life threats. He said Altaf Hussain would be responsible if he was murdered.

Our staff report from Karachi said, MQM’s Sindh assembly member Sheraz Waheed was also arrested by law enforcement agencies from superhighway. SP Rao Anwar when contacted said that Sheraz used to distribute CDs containing anti-state material among the people. He said a case has been registered against him under anti-terrorism act.

In another raid conducted in North Karachi area, Rangers arrested MQM sector in-charge Masroor and joint sector in-charge Javaid Shoukat. Posters removal: In Karachi, a wave of change was seen in MQM’s stronghold as protesters removed and tore apart portraits of MQM chief from outside Nine-Zero – the party’s headquarters in Pakistan along with several other offices in various cities including Hyderabad.

The huge portraits were removed from outside the Mukka Chowk and other offices across Karachi. The cities from where the portraits were removed included Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpur Khas.

Workers of Pak Sarzameen Party, a political group founded by MQM renegade and former mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal, waved national flags at Makka Chowk to express resentment towards Altaf Hussain for his anti-Pakistan sentiments.

Closure of offices: The law enforcement institutions in Karachi also decided to take down MQM offices built on illegally occupied land of recreational spots, educational institutions and other public property. A 3-day ultimatum was given in this regard.

Sources said that the decision will also affect Khurshid Begum Memorial Hall built on the land of a recreational park. Reportedly, the construction in Lal Qila Ground and transport offices are also illegal.

According to our Karachi staff report, the Karachi administration had already started demolishing illegal MQM offices in various parts of the metropolis. As many as half dozen MQM offices were demolished by the administration under the supervision of police and rangers in Gulshan-e-Myamar, Malir, Landhi, New Karachi and other areas.

Also, the authorities shut down MQM’s zonal offices in Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Nawabshah and other cities of Sindh. Within Karachi, the offices that were sealed include those in Gulistan-e-Johar, PIB Colony, Unit Office, Shah Faisal and Malir Sector among others.