Nisar tells Britain to rein in ‘citizen’ Altaf

• Says Altaf’s threatening statements from British soil could harm anti-militancy operation in Karachi

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has urged the British government to stop the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain from defaming Pakistani security forces and to take legal action against him from issuing statements threatening them, according to BBC Urdu.

In an unusual move, Nisar met British High Commissioner Philip Barton to discuss issue of MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s remarks against Pakistan Rangers and matter of two recent arrests in Imran Farooq’s murder case.

“The UK must take legal course against MQM Chief [who is a British citizen] and has threatened law enforcements agencies in Pakistan,” the interior minister was quoted as saying by a senior official who was familiar with Wednesday’s meeting.

Nisar told Philip Barton that such a threatening tone from British soil could harm the going operation against militants in Karachi, the official added.

Last week, Rangers raided the MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, arresting several leaders.

Following the raid, in an interview with a private television channel, Altaf threatened Rangers officials involved in the operation.

In the television show, the MQM had said, “The officers that raided my house, they belonged to the Rangers. They were, and they are now, the past.” Reacting to the threats, the Rangers filed a case against the MQM chief in Civil Lines police station in Karachi.

According to a source in the Interior Ministry, the Rangers wrote a letter to Nisar to inform him about the MQM chief’s threatening statement to the paramilitary force.

This meeting, which was not scheduled, was the second meeting between the interior minister and Philip Barton. The two earlier met on March 11 where they discussed issues relating to the MQM, exchange of convicted prisoners and lifting the ban on moratorium, the official said.

The interior minister also informed the British top diplomat about the arrest of two more accused who facilitated killers of Imran Farooq.

“All evidences were shared with British High Commissioner today [Wednesday],” the official revealed.

Earlier, Nisar had defended the Rangers’ raid on the MQM headquarters calling it “a step in the positive direction to eliminate militants from Karachi”.