UK responds to Pak's reference against MQM founder

The British authorities have assured Pakistan that the London Police will examine the August 22 speech of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain that caused rioting in Karachi.

According to the Interior Ministry, the federal government received a formal response from the United Kingdom on a reference it sent last month against Hussain for inciting his followers in a telephone speech to attack a media house in Karachi, reports the Express Tribune.

"The British Home Office has sent the Pakistani Government's reference to the Metropolitan Police for further perusal. The British government has also condemned the violence in Karachi," said an Interior Ministry spokesperson.

The Metropolitan Police will examine and analyse all the evidence sent by Islamabad with utmost consideration and the Pakistani Government will be approached through the British High Commission if there is a need for more evidence, the official said quoting from the British response.

Pakistan had sent the reference against Hussain to the UK on August 30 for his provocative statements against Islamabad and inciting his supporters to violence.

The British Government was asked to initiate legal action against those responsible for inciting people against the media.

The reference stated that Hussain not only violated British laws but also breached international laws and should be convicted accordingly.

The reference also contains a copy of the FIR registered against Hussain for his outburst against Pakistan along with photographs in which his MQM workers can be seen attacking media houses.

However, no demand for extradition of the MQM founder, who has been living in London since 1992, was made in the reference sent to the UK on August 30.

After the issue, the party leadership in Karachi also dissociated itself from the leadership based in London.

The MQM's Pakistan-based Coordination Committee, led by Dr Farooq Sattar, took over the party's command, disassociating himself from the party's founder.