The London Metropolitan police on Wednesday extended the bail of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder and chief Altaf Hussain until April 2015 in a case related to suspected money laundering.
Living in self-exile for over two decades, the MQM leader was arrested on June 3 after months of investigation by the British authorities on suspicions of money laundering, but was later released on bail until December.
According to London police, Hussain has now been notified in writing about the bail extension until April 2015.
“It is an entirely normal procedure in the UK legal system for bail to be extended. I hope that this may allow the authorities to conclude their investigation at the earliest opportunity,” said Hussain in a statement issued from the party’s headquarters.
“As this process continues, I urge my millions of members and supporters across the world to remain calm about this issue,” he said.
Officials at the MQM headquarters in Karachi say the party will formally celebrate the extension of their founders bail in the case.
Hussain gained British citizenship in 2002 after leaving Pakistan when a military operation was launched to end ethnic unrest in Karachi.
His residence in London was previously raided on suspicion of money-laundering in 2012 and 2013 by British police.
In 2010, Imran Farooq, one of MQM’s founding members and a confidant of Hussain, was murdered in London.