LONDON: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London’s supporters threw ink at Tariq Mir, MQM’s former senior leader and treasury head, during a charity fundraiser held under the banner of the disputed charity called the Society of Unwell and Needy (SUN).
The charitable event near Edgware was organsied by Tariq Mir, who has control of the SUN charity and has refused to hand over the control of the charity to the MQM’s founder Altaf Hussain whose supporters say that Tariq Mir and late Muhammad Anwar betrayed Altaf Hussain and occupied resources of the party. Tariq Mir denies all such allegations and says he is acting within the legal bounds, stating the charity belongs to the people of MQM and not to a few individuals.
The event was held to raise money for educational projects in Karachi and elsewhere. About five MQM-London workers bought tickets and sat inside the hall. More than half way through the event, three of them surrounded Tariq Mir as he was coming out of the washroom and threw ink at his face and clothes – and left the scene. The police arrived at the scene immediately and registered the complaint.
Outside the venue, around two dozen MQM-London workers led by Suhail Khanzada, MQM UK Incharge, Nasir Ali, Nadeem Sheikh and others raised slogans against Tariq Mir as guests passed by.
MQM-London workers sought entry into the hall to disrupt the event but a scuffle broke out at the entrance between the security men and MQM-London workers.
The police arrived after the emergency call and the protesters were barred from entering the venue but allowed to protest from across the road. Family members of many former MQM activists, including the deceased Muhammad Anwar’s family, also attended the fundraiser.
The protesters alleged that Tariq Mir had illegally taken control of the SUN charity and was controlling tens of thousands of Pounds that were given to the charity in the name of Altaf Hussain, the MQM founder. They said the dispute over the SUN charity was in the court and the fundraiser should not have been held.
Previously, the MQM’s founder made allegations that Tariq Mir had illegally occupied the SUN charity and it’s flat near Burnt Oak Broadway.
The issue started when Tariq Mir announced he had taken the case of Shumaila Imran Farooq to a local court in Edgware, informing the court that he wanted to transfer 221 Whitchurch Lane property, owned by the SUN charity, to Shumaila.
Dr Imran Farooq’s widow lives in a one-bedroom flat with her two sons. She suffers from cancer and she has confirmed that MQM factions – both from London and Pakistan – are not helping her. Altaf Hussain had asked Tariq Mir to transfer the SUN charity’s property to his name but Mir refused and told him that he would be committing a crime, violating Charity Commission rules.