Altaf denies alleged threats against Rangers officials

KARACHI: Following registration of an FIR for allegedly threatening Rangers officers involved in a raid on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine-Zero, party chief Altaf Hussain on Wednesday said he did not threaten anyone and does not want any confrontation with the armed forces of the country.

Speaking over telephone from London at a ceremony to mark the MQM’s 31st foundation day, he said, without directly addressing anyone, that lodge any case against him but do not call him a traitor.

Also Read: Rangers lodge FIR against Altaf for alleged threats

In an apparent reference to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar’s meeting with the British High Commissioner earlier today, Hussain said the government may send the text of his controversial interview to anyplace it wants, but the fact of the matter remains that he did not threaten anyone at all.

The interior minister said during the meeting that the MQM chief made objectionable statements against the Pakistan armed forces during a television programme.

He went on to say that, no one should be allowed to sit in the United Kingdom and deliver statements against security agencies of Pakistan. Nisar also shared a copy of the FIR with Philip Barton.

Read here: Nisar meets British High Commissioner to discuss FIR against Altaf

The MQM chief, during today's telephonic speech said, “I don’t want to fight with the Army as it is defender of my country and I always do advocacy for it.”

Altaf Hussain said that in fact he was ready to fight alongside the armed forces to eradicate the country of terrorism and extremism.

He reiterated that there was no place for criminals in the party and vowed to prove that the MQM was a liberal, peace-loving and a democratic party.

The MQM chief said the law of the land only applies on the poor in Pakistan, adding that MQM’s mandate does not get accredited for it being a party of the poor.