UK asked to review closure of Altaf case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced concern over the closure of a money-laundering case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain in London.

In October last year, the Scotland Yard closed an investigation into possible money laundering by Altaf, saying they would no longer seek to seize the money found in the MQM properties in the course of the investigation.



At the time, a Scotland Yard spokesperson had said that after examining all available evidence, the London police concluded that 500,000 pounds sterling recovered from the MQM properties between 2012 and 2014 was acquired through crimes or was to be used for illegal activities.

In a letter written by the interior ministry to the British government, Pakistan demanded that the decision to close the case of money laundering against Altaf in the UK be reviewed considering security reasons and law and order issues.

The letter stated that it was necessary that the proofs available with the British government be shared with Pakistani authorities in order to pursue different cases against Altaf pending in Pakistan, according to sources.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2017.