MQM chief Altaf Hussain arrested for money laundering; MQM denies
03 June, 2014
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain was arrested on Tuesday in London on charges of money laundering but his party has denied that any arrest had happened.
The London Metropolitan police confirmed that a 60-year-old man had been arrested from a North-West London property on charges of money-laundering, but they declined to disclose the exact identity for "legal reasons".
The police said a Specialist Operations unit was currently carrying out a search operation at the property in northwest London.
Media sources quoted the Scotland Yard as saying that the investigation would continue for 24 hours.
Moreover, a spokesman for the British High Commission said that the UK's consulate in Karachi has been temporarily closed down.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the issue of Hussain's arrest was of an extremely sensitive nature, adding that the government would take all legal angles into account.
The premier has directed parliamentarians and members of the PML-N not to comment on the news.
Meanwhile, addressing media representatives via telephone from London, MQM's Nadeem Nusrat said that Hussain was at his residence and in touch with Nusrat.
The MQM leader said that Hussain had been ill for some time, adding that he was scheduled to be shifted to a hospital today when the police arrived at his residence.
Nusrat advised all party members inside and outside Pakistan to control their emotions and not do anything that may go against the teachings of their leader.
Nusrat insisted that Hussain was not under arrest but at home.
Karachi Situation
According to media sources, unknown persons had taken to the streets and the city was in a state of frenzy with a number of neighbourhoods experiencing traffic jams. Three people were injured in firing in Baldia Town, Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Natha Khan areas. Three buses and a dozen cars were also set alight in Shafiq Mor and Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
Moreover, the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE-100 index) fell 780 points immediately after the news came and commercial centres across Sindh's provincial capital started to shut down.
Hussain was being investigated for money laundering worth at least 400,000 pounds as well as for incitement to violence and MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq's murder.
MQM leader Farogh Naseem however said that Hussain had not been arrested and Scotland Yard only needed him for a statement in relation to a case.
Last week, senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar had disclosed at a public meeting that Hussain's bank accounts in London were being frozen and had asked party workers and supporters to continue their 'peaceful struggle' against the British government.
Hussain, who has been living in London for over two decades and is now a British citizen, did not address that meeting held to condemn money-laundering investigations against him by UK authorities.
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