Petition against Altaf dismissed

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain for a controversial speech.

The petition was filed by Barrister Zafarullah of Watan Party after Altaf Hussain made controversial statements on television in a live address.

During the hearing the petitioner argued that Altaf Hussain had made comments against Pakistan to which the chief justice said that the court did not handle cases related to comments made in a speech.

Additionaly, the court ruled that Zafarullah did not have enough proof against his claim.

It was on May 22 that the petition came up for preliminary hearing but the bench restrained from issuing notices to Altaf Hussain and asked the petitioner to determine his lawful status. In his petition, Barrister Zafarullah had made Altaf Hussain, the MQM secretary general, ECP, law secretary and PEMRA as respondents.

On May 12, during Altaf Hussain’s address to his party workers, he had threatened the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), establishment, media, workers of the political parties and politicians and also demanded that Karachi be detached from Pakistan, the advocate said.