British govt should stop Altaf Hussain from threatening Rangers: Nisar

Chaudhry Nisar urges British high commissioner to take action against MQM chief's statements

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has urged the British government to stop the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain from defaming Pakistani security forces and to take legal action against him from issuing statements threatening them, according to BBC Urdu. 

In an unusual move, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met British High Commissioner Philip Barton to discuss issue of MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s remarks against Pakistan Rangers and matter of two recent arrests in Imran Farooq’s murder case.

“The UK must take legal course against MQM Chief [who is a British citizen] and has threatened law enforcements agencies in Pakistan,” the interior minister was quoted as saying by a senior official who was familiar with Wednesday’s meeting.

Nisar told Philip Barton that such a threatening tone from British soil could harm the going operation against militants in Karachi, the official added.

Last week, Rangers raided the MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, arresting several leaders.

Read: One dead, several injured as Rangers raid MQM headquarters

Following the raid, in an interview with a private television channel, Altaf threatened Rangers officials involved in the operation.

In the television show, the MQM had said, "The officers that raided my house, they belonged to the Rangers. They were, and they are now, the past." Reacting to the threats, the Rangers filed a case against the MQM chief in Civil Lines police station in Karachi.

Read: Rangers file case against MQM chief Altaf Hussain

According to a source in the interior ministry, the Rangers wrote a letter to Nisar to inform about the MQM chief’s threatening statement to the paramilitary force.

This meeting, which was not scheduled, was the second meeting between the interior minister and Philip Barton. The two earlier met on March 11 where they discussed issues relating to the MQM, exchange of convicted prisoners and lifting the ban on moratorium, the official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

The interior minister also informed the British top diplomat about the arrest of two more accused who facilitated killers of Imran Farooq.

“All evidences were shared with British High Commissioner today [Wednesday],” the official revealed.

Earlier, Nisar had defended the Rangers’ raid on the MQM headquarters calling it “a step in the positive direction to eliminate militants from Karachi”.

Read: Interior minister defends Nine-Zero raid

In an interview with the state-run PTV World, Nisar said the paramilitary force has done nothing wrong and unlawful. “The Rangers conducted the raid at the MQM headquarters in Karachi on specific intelligence reports,” he added.