The leader of Karachi’s dominant political party has been accused by a respected former Mayor of being an Indian agent and a dictatorial drunkard who has mismanaged the affairs of Pakistan’s biggest city from his base in north London.
In a blistering attack, Mustafa Kamal also accused Altaf Hussain, head of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), of overseeing an organisation that has turned some activists into “international terrorists”. Mr. Kamal’s comments have the potential to upturn the political order in one of the world’s largest and most volatile cities. Rumours have persistently swirled around Mr. Hussain, but senior members of his party have always scrupulously avoided even veiled criticism of their leader. Their code of silence has allowed Mr. Hussain to maintain firm control despite living in self-imposed exile in the U.K. for more than 20 years.
But on Thursday, Mr. Kamal, a popular figure, broke ranks by flying into the country after a three-year absence to announce that he was forming a new party. He alleged that Mr. Hussain confessed to Scotland Yard detectives, who were investigating the 2010 murder of MQM official Imran Farooq in London, that the party’s leadership had received support from Indian intelligence agency the Research and Analysis Wing (Raw). “All senior MQM leaders are aware that MQM has been taking funds from India’s RAW for 20 years,” Mr. Kamal said.
The MQM denounced the claims. Farooq Sattar, a senior MQM figure, insisted the party would stand by its leader.
A party official told The Guardian that Mr. Hussain was aware of the claims but would not be responding to them personally. The official added: “It is all totally false and fabricated and it is not the first time, we have seen this since 1992. It is part of the establishment conspiracy in Pakistan.”
— © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2016
