According to IG Sindh A D Khawaja, treason case has been registered in Artillery police station.
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The case pertains to the attack on “ARY” News’ office, vandalising of property, arson and pelting of stones at police.
Later, Hussain’s second-in-command Farooq Sattar said the MQM “completely disowns” Hussain’s statements, accusing him of repeatedly embarrassing the party.
The petitioner, Advocate Sardar Aftab Virk, contended it was mandatory for every political party to be patriotic but the MQM was not a patriotic party as its chief was involved in anti-Pakistan activities. Who says “long live Pakistan”?
Dawn reported that Sattar, after being released from the custody of Rangers, spoke to party leaders, lawmakers including some who were overseas and communicated his decision to disown Hussain’s statement and take over the MQM.
Sattar said if such statements are a result of mental stress, then that mental stress needs to be resolved first.
The Rangers initially focused on strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban but eventually turned their attention to the MQM, which has operated a militant wing alongside the political party.
The MQM, run by Hussain from London – and accused of using extortion and murder to cement its grip on power – has always been blamed for ethnic violence in Karachi.
Hussain was arrested in June 2014 by British police on suspicion of money laundering charges, but later released on bail, leading to speculation that his once cosy ties with London – who viewed his party as a bulwark against Taliban terrorism – were fraying. “Being a Pakistani, I assure the Pakistani people, establishment, army, ISI, all higher authorities and leaders that I will never use such words again”, Hussain said.
Scotland Yard has confirmed that it’s “assessing” the contents of Altaf Hussain’s speech against the state of Pakistan in which he also incited violence against media and the armed forces of Pakistan.
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MQM leader Altaf Hussain has given up control over the party after coming under widespread criticism for calling Pakistan a “cancer”, the media reported on Wednesday. Since fleeing to London in 1991, Hussain has addressed supporters by a telephone hooked up to a loudspeaker at the party headquarters. Police arrested a senior leader of MQM, Farooq Sattar, as he arrived to address a news conference in front of the press club after the incident.
