Pakistan: Incidents of violence that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and founder Altaf Hussain has been associated with or involved in (since 1985)

Among the sources consulted, the Research Directorate was able to find two criminal cases for which Altaf Hussain, MQM founder and leader, was charged.

The first case is still ongoing. On 20 June 1991 Army Major Kalim (Kaleem) and two other officers were kidnapped and tortured by a group of young men in Landhi (Dawn 4 Feb. 1998; ibid. 5 Feb. 1998). A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on 24 June 1991, the trial began in March 1993, and the judgement was delivered on 9 June 1994 (ibid.; ibid. 6 Feb. 1998). Three men were accused in person while 16 others, including Altaf Hussain, were cited as absconders and tried in absentia (Dawn 6 Feb. 1998; ibid. 5 Feb. 1998). Altaf Hussain was sentenced to 27 years imprisonment (Dawn 6 Feb. 1998; ibid. 5 Feb., 1998; ibid. 4 Feb. 1998). On 3 February 1998 a division bench of the Sindh High Court heard Altaf Hussain's appeal–filed in 1994–against his conviction (Dawn 4 Feb. 1998). On 4 February the court heard that Altaf Hussain's name had been belatedly inserted in the FIR, and on 6 February 1998 the division bench of the Sindh High Court acquitted him and the 18 others (Dawn 5 Feb. 1998; ibid. 6 Feb. 1998; DWS 7 Feb. 1998).

In early February 1998 MQM Deputy Conveyor Senator Aftab Sheikh stated that even if the Sindh High Court upheld the appeal against Altaf Hussain's conviction in the Major Kalim kidnapping case,

it will only mean that there will be no more cases in which he has been convicted. But he has been named in hundreds of FIRs registered against MQM leaders and activists. Most of the MQM leaders, including ministers, are on parole and one simple administrative orders could put them in jail again..." (Dawn 6 Feb. 1998).

The Central Co-Ordination Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement also claims that 120 cases against Altaf Hussain remain, and until these are withdrawn and the MQM "No Go Areas" are eliminated, it will not decide whether Altaf Hussain can return to Pakistan (Dawn 6 Feb. 1998).

In May 1998 the Sindh administration filed an appeal with the Supreme Court "demanding a reversal of the High Court ruling" (PPI 8 May 1998). The Sindh administration, however, omitted Altaf Hussain's name in the list of those involved in "criminal case" (ibid.). This omission has led Altaf Hussain to believe that the Sindh administration is attempting to "drive a wedge" between him and his associates (ibid.) and that it is implying that he has cut a deal with the authorities (NNI 13 May 1998). On 12 May 1998 Altaf Hussain "moved the Supreme Court against his own acquittal by Sindh High Court" and stated that he was prepared and willing to face trial along with his co-accused (ibid.).

The second criminal case involving Altaf Hussain is as follows.

On 8 March 1995 two American diplomats were killed in Karachi, allegedly by members of the Haqiqi faction of the MQM (MQM 8 Dec. 1997). Shortly thereafter the killers were killed. In late 1997 police arrested an individual named Arif, alias "Toto" (Arif Tootoo) who confessed to the killings while in police custody (ibid.). Toto alleged that as an MQM worker, he had committed the murders on the orders of Altaf Hussain and Nadeem Nusrat, his political secretary, (ibid.). Based on Toto's confessional statement, an FIR was consequently lodged by the state against Altaf Hussain and Nusrat and on 4 December 1997 unbailable warrants were issued (ibid.; DWS 15 Jan. 1998). On 15 January 1998, however, it was reported that the Pakistani government had withdrawn the warrants against both men (DWS 15 Jan. 1998; Dawn 6 Feb. 1998).

Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Dawn. 6 February 1998. Latest News. Mazhar Abbas. "Altaf Acquitted in Kalim Case." [Internet] [Accessed 12 June 1998]

_____. 5 February 1998. "Altaf's Name Inserted in FIR later, Court Told." [Internet] [Accessed 5 Feb. 1998]

_____. 4 February 1998. H.A. Hamied. "Hearing of Altaf's Appeal Begins.' [Internet] [Accessed 4 Feb. 1998]

Dawn Weekly Service (DWS). 7 February 1998. H.A. Hamied. "Altaf Acquitted in Maj. Kaleem Case." [Internet] [Accessed 9 Feb. 1998]

_____. 15 January 1998. Nasir Malick. "Warrant for Altaf's Arrest Withdrawn." [Internet] [No access date]

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). 8 December 1997. "Court Issues Unbailable Warrant of Arrest Against Mr. Altaf Hussain." [Internet] [Accessed 12 June 1998]

News Network International (NNI). 13 May 1998. "MQM Chief Moves SC Against Himself." [Internet] [Accessed 14 May 1998]

PPI News Service. 8 May 1998. "Sindh Government Omits Altaf's Name from List of Offenders." [Internet listserv]

Additional Sources Consulted

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. February 1998. State of Human Rights in 1997.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. Monthly. January 1997-March 1998.

Resource Centre. International/Indexed Media Review [Ottawa]. Weekly. January 1997-present.

_____. "Pakistan" country file. January 1997-present.

Resource Directorate. October 1997. Pakistan: Chronology of Events, March 1995-October 1997.

Electronic sources: Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS.