Scotland Yard charges MQM chief Altaf Hussain for inciting terrorism

Scotland Yard on Thursday charged Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain, living in exile in UK, with an offence of encouraging terrorism in connection with a speech relayed to followers in Pakistan. Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command said Hussain will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London charged under Section 1(2) of UK's Terrorism Act 2006 with encouraging terrorism.

Altaf Hussain charged for inciting terrorism

Hussain, 65, requested asylum in 1990s and later gained UK citizenship. But he maintains a firm grip over MQM - one of Pakistan's biggest political parties - and its main power base, financial capital of Karachi. He h delivered a fiery speech on August 22, 2016, after which his party workers vandalised a media office in Karachi and chanted anti-Pakistan slogans. MQM supremo h t only raised slogans against Pakistan but also called country "a cancer for entire world".

"On August 22, 2016, [he] published a speech to crowds gared in Karachi, Pakistan, which were likely to be understood by some or all of members of public to whom y were published as a direct or indirect encourment to m to commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism and at time he published m, intended m to be so encourd, or was reckless as to wher y would be so encourd," Met Police said in a statement.

Hussain, who is based at Mill Hill in rth London, h been arrested on June 11 on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences contrary to Section 44 of Serious Crime Act 2007 and was released on bail until charge this week. Met Police h earlier said that throughout investigation, officers h been liaising with Pakistani authorities in relation to ir ongoing enquiries.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)

MQM was founded in 1984 as party of Muhajirs or Urdu-speakers who migrated from India at time of Partition in 1947. party has dominated politics in Karachi for three deces because of its support in densely populated working class neighbourhoods of Urdu-speaking Muhajirs. Hussain's UK media office, calling itself MQM Secretariat, issues regular communique against Pakistani government. In his latest dress in August, Hussain said that Pakistan's civil and military establishments have been misleing and duping masses of country over issue of  Kashmir for past 72 years.