KARACHI, July 13: Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, the former home minister of Sindh and PPP leader, has gone to the United Kingdom along with his family reportedly on summer vacations, which coincides with the visit to Britain of President Asif Zardari.

However, some reports suggested that one of the reasons for Mr Mirza’s decision to travel to London could be to provide the Scotland Yard whatever information he claims to have about the MQM and its chief’s alleged unlawful activities.

Mr Mirza is a known critic of Altaf Hussain and his party. He had given up his position in the previous government because of differences with his own party, which was opposed to taking any action against the MQM.

Dawn.com, quoting sources in the Mirza family, said the former minister would meet Scotland Yard officials soon. Dr Mirza, who lives with his family in Dubai, flew to London after British officials got in touch with him, they claimed.

London’s Metropolitan Police and the Scotland Yard have confirmed that they are currently investigating a number of charges against the MQM chief.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned Dr Mirza, asking him not to meet British investigators, the sources told Dawn.com. The latter, however, refused to abide by the president’s advice.

The Scotland Yard officials requested Dr Mirza to reproduce the evidence he had offered in 2011 to present against the MQM and Mr Hussain. Dr Mirza had resigned as vice president of the PPP’s Sindh chapter and as a member of the Sindh Assembly following a spat with the MQM, which was then a part of the PPP-led ruling coalition at the centre and in Sindh.

The former minister had levelled serious allegations against the MQM, holding the party and its chief responsible for targeted killings in Karachi. The MQM had rejected all allegations hurled by Dr Mirza.—Monitoring desk