Some respite

Nearly two years after he was arrested on charges of money laundering, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, along with five others accused in the case, finally had his bail cancelled on Monday. While this is obviously good news for Altaf, and spares him the ordeal of regular visits to the police station, it does not mean that the charges have been dropped; the investigations into the case will continue. What it does mean is that the police have found it difficult to gather sufficient proof to ensure a conviction. The money that was confiscated from Altaf’s residence in London will continue to be held by the police. Opponents of the MQM will portray this decision as further proof that the British government continues to shelter Altaf despite his alleged criminality, while the party itself will point to it as proof of its leader’s innocence. Everyone should wait for justice to take its course, no matter how slowly it seems to be progressing. Neither side should be leaping to conclusions. It is better for now to wait and see how this plays out.

Altaf, of course, is facing other dangers, particularly in the Imran Farooq murder case. Three men are currently being tried in Pakistan for the murder and one of them has hinted at his willingness to turn approver and testify. There were also reports that the FIA was seeking Altaf’s extradition and the party was trying to anoint a successor should the worst case scenario materialise. Even if the prospects of extradition seem remote – it was the UK government which granted asylum to Altaf after all – the MQM’s woes may be far from over. It still stands to be judged not only in law courts but also the court of public opinion. The relentless battering the party has taken over the last couple of years, the perception that it has been a particular target of the Rangers operation which, in some aspects, has lacked transparency, and the political music of the PTI-JI combo which has not really been music to the ears of many Karachiites have all helped the MQM regain ground despite its rather shaky reputation and earn greater sympathy from its support base in Karachi. The results of the recent local government polls showed that the MQM is as popular as ever in Karachi. But still it is true that a lot of damage has been done and the party is at a crossroads. Altaf Hussain’s temporary relief should certainly not be seen as permanent victory.