London: Founder MQM charged in hate speech case

The founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has been charged by Scotland Yard in incitement speech inquiry for intentionally encouraging or Assisting Offences, contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

The MQM leader had appeared at the Southwark Police Station in South London on Thursday for the third time in four months to face the police grilling in relation to the incitement speech inquiry.

He will be produced before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court where the charges will be read out to him.

The charges were allowed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The police announced that the MQM founder has been charged in relation to 16 August 2016 speech, which was made from London to Karachi and violence followed as a result of that speech.

“Detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have today, 10 October, charged a 66-year-old man with a terrorism offence in connection with speech made in August 2016,” the police said in a statement.

Altaf Hussain has been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 10 October, the police said.

Altaf Hussain was arrested by Scotland Yard in an early morning raid on 11th June 2019.

This allows people who assist another to commit an offence to be prosecuted regardless of whether the underlying substantive offence is actually committed or attempted.

Altaf Hussain founded the MQM in the 1980s to defend the interests of Muhajirs, the Urdu-speaking descendants of Muslims who moved from India to Pakistan during partition in 1947.

Its political strongholds are urban Karachi and Hyderabad.