MQM chief Altaf Hussain retracts resignation

LONDON: Chief of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain who had earlier relinquished his party leadership and handed authority to the Rabita Committee, has retracted his resignation.

“I may not be the chief in the eyes of Britain, but I am the chief in the eyes of party workers.”

Altaf Hussain who was addressing party workers from London had earlier announced that he was voluntarily stepping down as the party chief following a raid at his UK house by the London Metropolitan Police in which several materials were seized. The MQM chief said that despite requests to the police, he had not been provided with a list of items seized.

Speaking on the Dr Imran Farooq case, Altaf said he had hired a lawyer who was present during the raid, but he had not heard from him since then. “I will represent myself in the case and will accept the court’s decision.”

Dr Farooq was murdered while he was returning to his London home on Edgware road on September 16, 2010. Last week, London Metropolitan Police had conducted raids at two residential addresses one of them belonging to Altaf Hussain in connection with the case.

A suspect was also taken into custody from the Heathrow airport and questioned but was later released on bail.