MQM founder's detention likely to be extended

LONDON: Scotland Yard on Wednesday requested the authorities to extend the detention of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain.

As per details, Altaf Hussain is being held at the Southwark Police Station, where the superintendent submitted a request for additional detention of 12 hours.

The founder of MQM was arrested on Tuesday when Scotland Yard raided his London residence. Hussain was taken into custody over a 2016 “anti-Pakistan” speech.

“A man has today, Tuesday, 11 June, been arrested in connection with an investigation into a number of speeches made by an individual associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Pakistan,’ reads a statement issued by London Metropolitan Police.

The police statement says that the man, who is aged in his 60s, was arrested at an address in north west London. He was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

“The investigation, which is being led by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, is focused on a speech broadcast in August 2016 by an individual associated with the MQM movement in Pakistan as well as other speeches previously broadcast by the same person. Throughout the investigation, officers have been liaising with Pakistani authorities in relation to our ongoing enquiries,” reads the police statement.