In a setback to the Pakistani government, Altaf Hussain, a dissident leader of Pakistan’s MQM party, was acquitted by a Landon court in a case involving “encouraging terrorism” charges. Hussain, who lives in London and wields considerable influence in the southern city of Karachi in Pakistan, was arrested in 2019 on the charges of inciting terrorism. 

In 2016, the MQM leader made two speeches—interpreted by many as an encouragement to violence, terrorism— via telephone to his followers in Karachi from London, following which violence broke out in many parts of the city. In 2019, Landon Police arrested him and charged him under UK’s anti-terrorism laws.  

On Tuesday, the jury at the Kingston-upon-Thames crown court announced a majority verdict of 10-2, declaring they found Hussain not to be in violation of the UK’s anti-Terrorism laws. 

Hussain founded the MQM party which predominantly enjoys considerable support among Mohajirs, an Urdu-speaking community that originally migrated from India to Pakistan post-partition in 1947.

Fearing assassination, he fled to the UK in 1990 and later took British citizenship. Hussain, who doesn’t share smooth relations with the Pakistani authorities, is wanted in many cases in his home country.  

In the speeches for which he was tried, he had allegedly encouraged his followers to attack the offices of media houses in Pakistan, which were boycotting his speeches, statements and not giving him any coverage following a restraining order from the Karachi High Court.  

Although his command over his party, the MQM, back home waned a bit, he still holds considerable influence, especially in Karachi. For a long time, the Pakistani authorities have been pressing the UK government for conviction in several cases.  

(SAM)