ISLAMABAD
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has applied for a Pakistani passport, it has been learnt.
According to sources, the London-based MQM chief has contacted the Pakistani High Commission in London for this purpose. The self-exiled leader, who presently holds a British passport, had the expired copy of his Pakistani passport that was issued to him some 23 years back in 1991. His Pakistani identity card has also expired.
Altaf had left Karachi for London one month before then PML-N government launched an operation clean-up in 1992. He applied for political asylum in Britain. Later, he applied for the British nationality and got the UK passport as well.
Ever since his departure from Pakistan, Altaf never showed his intentions to return despite repeated taunts from his opponents to come back and lead the party instead of running the MQM through a remote control. It is not clear even now if he has applied for the Pakistani passport to return to Karachi after rescinding his British nationality.
Later, tele-addressing the inauguration ceremony of Nazeer Hussain University, he said, “Mind it! I can land in Pakistan whenever it becomes necessary for me to. I have even applied for a passport.”
Altaf said he would move the court in case he was denied a passport. “If my passport is not processed in due course, then my legal team will do what needs to be done,” he said.
He brushed aside the notion that his statements are riddled with ‘threats’.
“I never threaten anyone, but rather only speak straight from the shoulder. I only tell the truth and shame the devil”, said the MQM chief.