Pak-UK conflict over Altaf

Whether Pakistan would succeed in getting the custody of MQM founder Altaf Hussain, wanted in multiple cases here and also under investigation in Britain, is not clear but recent talks held in Islamabad between Federal Interior Minister Ch. Nisar and his British counterpart are said to be quite "tough."

Sources said Pakistan was not convinced by the position taken by Britain over the fate of the MQM founder. Earlier, Ch. Nisar had express his disappointment when UK police closed money laundering investigations against him. It had also dropped the initial case of a hate speech in 2015, but investigations were underway in an August 22 speech, which was followed by violence, but the key conflict is the murder of former MQM convener Dr Imran Farooq. 

 Who is at fault in the case, Pakistan or Britain? Altaf Hussain has been living in England since 1992, and is now a British national. But, in the last three years, cases against him particularly the Imran Farooq case has entered into a crucial phase in Pakistan while in London, the police were still working to seek the custody of one of the three suspects, Mohsin Ali. 

Britain has taken a position that in it can't interfere in police investigations, but acknowledged Pakistan's concern as Federal Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan accused the MQM London and its founder of indulging in anti-state activities and incite violence.

He has clearly hinted that such people would not be allowed to carry out activities in Pakistan.

Pakistan's first disappointment with Britain came when the money laundering investigation was dropped and a latest report suggests that UK authorities have also returned some half a million pounds to the MQM, which was recovered and also returned other properties. The case was closed for want of evidence. 

A key player in the inquiry, Sarfraz Merchant, also got his money back after police decided not to continue the investigation. Pakistan claimed that it had provided enough evidence to help the British police including details of how the money was collected and transferred through illegal means. Pakistan expressed its disappointment over closure of the money laundering probe and some independent lawyers believe that one of the reasons could be to verify the "donation" sent to the MQM or Altaf Hussain, collected through illegal means like extortion and used in violence.

The  Dr Imran Farooq case is still unresolved and both countries have taken conflicting positions particularly on the issue of extradition. Imran Farooq, MQM's secretary general, was killed in 2010 in London near his house by 'unidentified persons.' Within no time Pakistan, on a tip-off from London, arrested four suspects though it claimed three. They include Mohammad Mohsin, Mozzam Ali and Khalid Shamim while there is still mystery about Kashif Kamran, who allegedly died in custody, but never confirmed officially.

During the previous PPP government, Pakistan denied their arrest but in the media all kind of stories appeared. The delay led to the frustration of Britain and it was only after the 2013 general elections and the Karachi operation that the case reopened in Pakistan, and in 2014, for the first time the suspects were named. 

However, former Sindh Home Minister  Dr Zulfiqar Mirza disclosed their arrest but even during his tenure they never produced them in any court. Why did Pakistan decide not to provide details of the suspects is still a mystery but the delay to some extent not only damaged the murder case but also the money laundering probe as both allegedly were interlinked.

Though the PPP and MQM had love-hate relationship between 2008 and 2013, yet former President Asif Ali Zardar, former Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ibad and the then ISI chief Lt-Gen Pasha were said to be part of the decision not to disclose details.

The present PML (N) government in his three and a half years had not only reopened cases against alleged MQM militants but also its activist Saulat Mirza, whose death sentence was pending for long, was hanged. But before his hanging his controversial video statement from the death cell was leaked to the media in which he leveled very serious charges on the MQM leadership, which the party denied and raised questions on the leak.

It was in 2014 that the government decided to speed up cases against MQM militants and hand over the three suspects in the Dr Imran Farooq case to the UK police. For the first time in four years, Scotland Yard was given access to the suspects and they were questioned for several hours.

Despite the absence of any extradition treaty between Pakistan and Britain, the UK police could have asked for handing over the suspects, but sources said they showed interest in one of them i.e. Mohsin, as they allegedly have collected evidence against him. 

Pakistan, on the other hand, strongly believed the role of the other suspects too in the murder. After refusal from the UK it was left with no option but to to conduct a trial after declaring their arrest in the murder. Sources said the issue is likely to settle with the extradition of Mohsin while the others, if not required by the UK police, will face trials in Pakistan. 

Some investigators and prosecutors believe that due to political consideration and conflicting positions by the British police and Pakistan, the case has already been weakened unless the UK police collect enough evidence against the suspects. 

In either way, the Dr Imran Farooq murder case remains as mysterious as the man himself throughout his political career during which he remained underground for almost six years and one fine day surfaced in London. There is still a controversy as how he got a visa during his years in hiding.

 Even if the murder mystery is resolved, it would be quite difficult to establish the motive behind the murder, but both UK and Pakistani authorities are convinced it was a political murder.

Pakistan so far has not asked for extradition of Altaf Hussain, though it has initiated a process via Interpol by issuing his red warrants. But, it has to convince Interpol that the case is not of political nature.

Whatever the fate of the case or other cases against Altaf Hussain, chances are the PML-N government and the establishment are now fully convinced to close the chapter before the next general elections.

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO