A once-charismatic leader who ruled Karachi for years was recently acquitted by the jury in a London court over charges of encouraging terrorism in the city of lights.
Here are lesser-known facts about Altaf Hussain, the notorious MQM leader:
1) Altaf Hussain was born 17 September 1953 in Karachi and is known as the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
2) Altaf Hussain married Faiza Gabol in 2001 and divorced in 2007. The couple has a daughter named Afza Altaf.
3) Altaf Hussain was once enlisted with the Pakistan Army through the NSCS and his services were assigned to the 57th Baloch Regiment as soldier number 2642671.
4) After completion of his training, Hussain regiment was assigned from Hyderabad to Karachi from where it was sent to East Pakistan via ships.
5) Hussain’s party was the first party that started out as a movement for the empowerment of muhajirs in Pakistan.
6) He fled the country in 1992 after the crackdown against his party was launched and since then he is living in the United Kingdom.
7) In 2015, the Lahore High Court banned his media coverage, the airing of his images and speeches was banned across all electronic and print media.
8) Altaf Hussain once urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant him and his colleagues’ asylum in India in 2019.
9) Hussain was said to be responsible for the murder, targeted killings, treason, inciting violence, and hate speeches in Karachi.
10) A jury in London recently found Altaf Hussain not guilty of encouraging terrorism in Karachi which he was once held responsible for.
