MQM founder Altaf Hussain hospitalised in London after severe illness

Monitoring Desk

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain is currently hospitalised in London due to “severe illness”, according to party officials.

Previously known as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Hussain founded his party in 1984 to represent the Urdu-speaking community, which had migrated to Pakistan amid Partition.

Hussain currently lives in London, where he has been in self-imposed exile since 1992. He was later granted British citizenship. From London, Hussain played an active role in politics, regularly broadcasting political speeches to his followers in Karachi.

“The founder and leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain, has been admitted to a hospital in London due to severe illness, where various tests have been conducted on him,” said senior London-based MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi.

He appealed to people to pray for the MQM founder.

In a subsequent video message, he said Hussain’s health deteriorated last night and he was hospitalised upon a doctor’s inspection and recommendation. “Doctors have conducted various tests and are focusing their attention on his treatment,” he added.

Azizabadi said the MQM founder’s treatment was ongoing and “hopefully it’s not something serious”.

Meanwhile, an update from MQM Coordination Committee Deputy Convener Qasim Ali said doctors had recommended various tests, including blood tests, electrocardiogram, computed tomography scan, X-ray and ultrasound.

“Altaf Hussain has been facing prolonged stress due to the national and international situation, multiple legal cases in London, and severe financial difficulties. “Suffering from severe mental stress, doctors have prescribed blood transfusion in addition to medications for their treatment, and blood has been transfused.”

He was in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Britain, apparently after contracting Covid-19 in February 2021.