MQM leader ready to transfer flat to Shumaila Farooq

LONDON: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s former senior leader Muhammad Anwar has offered to transfer a flat to Dr Imran Farooq’s widow if the MQM leadership agrees – after The News highlighted that Shumaila Imran Farooq lives in extreme poverty.

In a statement, Muhammad Anwar referred to report by this reporter earlier this week and said that “seeing the deplorable condition of the widow of Dr Imran Farooq and her sons in a news report we have decided that we would willingly transfer one of the flats at 221 Whitchurch Lane in the name of Mrs Shumaila Farooq so that she is able to live a life of dignity with her sons”.

185 Whitchurch Lane and 221 Whitchurch Lane are registered in title deed in the name of Muhammad Anwar and Tariq Mir. These properties are being managed by five trustees: Altaf Hussain, Tariq Mir, Iftikhar Quraishi, Muhammad Anwar and Qasim Ali Raza. The MQM is the beneficiary in the title deed.

Muhammad Anwar and Tariq Mir are involved in legal dispute with the MQM founder over the ownership of these properties and have refused to transfer these to the name of MQM founder or anyone else. They have maintained that these properties will be returned to the MQM leader once an inquiry by the HMRC is over.

Muhamamd Anwar said in a social media message that he and Tariq Mir have no “personal interest whatsoever” in these properties and didn’t occupy properties at any time.

Anwar said: “These properties have always been in the occupation of the MQM and are currently occupied by Sufyan Yousuf and Mustafa Azizabadi. They should vacate one of the flats and hand over possession to the widow of Shaheed-e-Inquilab Dr Imran Farooq. We believe that our sincere offer would be accepted. Above all these properties were meant for the families of the martyrs, missing persons and those in detention.”

Anwar’s offer came after this scribe revealed that Shumaila is on the verge of becoming homeless. She has not been looked after by any of the MQM factions. Her sons study at a local public school.

After Geo aired report on Shumaila Farooq, the MQM-London issued a statement and said that it was a lie that Shumaila has not been taken care of. The press release said that the report was misleading.