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ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner to Pakistan Philip Barton on Wednesday said the British government had nothing to do with a money laundering investigation against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain.
Speaking at a seminar titled ‘The Future of UK-Pakistan Relations: A Departing Perspective,’ Barton said the case against Hussain rested with the London police, which is investigating charges against the MQM supremo.
On Pakistan's future, Barton said he believed the country was moving forward in four four crucial areas – "democracy, security, economy and regional relationships".
Sharing statistics which portray a 48 per cent decline in terrorism-related incidents, the British envoy saluted the bravery of Pakistan security forces over their successes in curtailing terrorism.
“Thanks to the UK-backed Counter-terrorism Associated Prosecution Reform Initiative, conviction rates in terrorism cases have increased from 5% to over 50% in Punjab and from 3% to over 30% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
The British envoy argued that with democracy and a rapidly recovering economy, people in Pakistan now had more space to think about the future, demographic situation, environmental and economic challenges.
The London Metropolitan Police on Monday had informed MQM chief Altaf Hussain that his bail conditions, in an ongoing money laundering probe, had been removed as there was insufficient evidence to bring a criminal charge against him.
The money laundering investigation was launched after the Metropolitan Police discovered hundreds of thousands of pounds during two raids — one on an MQM office and another on Altaf Hussain’s residence in London. The raids were conducted in connection with the investigation into Dr Imran Farooq’s murder.
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Comments (46) Closed
Feb 03, 2016 07:05pm
I Guess the Match Is FIXED !
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Feb 03, 2016 07:07pm
We know all and need not fool us.
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Feb 03, 2016 07:35pm
@Pagrri Sambhal May not be the idealist , British justice system is one of the best systems in the world. So, to judge yourself and make this negative opinion may not be of any value, considering and given average mind set of people of our county where biases inflict almost everything. So, please accept the reality and come out of denial phase, if possible.
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Feb 03, 2016 07:38pm
Are the London Police not the part of the British government?
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Feb 03, 2016 07:44pm
Why british Government is then protecting Altaf Hussain when he is required in so many criminal cases?
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Feb 03, 2016 07:48pm
@Khalil Ahmed These are only cases, not yet proved. Secondly, the bases of cases are highly controversial considering the circumstances and in given system your are talking bout. This is a simple answer.
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Feb 03, 2016 07:57pm
A very diplomatic reply from the British envoy,putting all the weight on metropolitan police. let's also face the fact too,UK police policies are not controlled by the government, as it is in Pakistan
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Feb 03, 2016 08:17pm
Bizarre excuse, we can't do even genuine transactions in large amount of cash in the UK let alone stashing millions at homes.
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Feb 03, 2016 08:17pm
@aamir: I am sure you have sublime info and ultimate authority of British judicial system.
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Feb 03, 2016 08:21pm
Some Pakistanis are not familiar with the British system of Justice. Police investigations are independent. The Government dare not interfere. If police thinks that it has some reliable evidence, it presents the evidence to an independent body that weighs it and if, in its opinion, a conviction can be obtained, a case is filed. If in its view the evidence is weak, then NO prosecution. When this investigation began, I predicted that it will not lead to prosecution. The reason is simple; some MQM members could claim that the money belonged to them and NOT to Mr Hussain (it was found in the Office and NOT 'on' Mr Hussain). The Police then cannot prove otherwise. Occasionally, the Govt. does interfere but ONLY when the case is proceeding, on one of the 2 grounds, national security OR diplomatic grounds. In such a situation a Judge usually accepts the Govt. plea and dismisses the case.
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Feb 03, 2016 08:32pm
after seeing all this politics since many years, "British justice system is one of the best systems in the world" is seems to be a joke of the Century!. If you need to find more reality, just see the serious talk shows of Pakistan and listen what they say but this system
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Feb 03, 2016 08:35pm
So where did the money come from that you initially accused as 'laundered'?
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Feb 03, 2016 08:40pm
@Agha Ata - No it's not. London Police is purely independent institution and not the part of the government in the sense like we have in Pakistan?
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Feb 03, 2016 08:51pm
@Dr Yashfaa Rao keep guessing may be one day your guess will come true like your dreams.
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Feb 03, 2016 08:52pm
The UK police finally came to the conclusion that the half million pound of cash found in a political party's office in London who rules the hearts of Karachites and mainly Urdu speaking people is normal except some minor deviation from their law.They know that every year trillion of pounds come to UK for investment and specially in properties and some of them come from Pakistan.It would be appreciable and appropriate if UK authorites specially Honourable UK HC publish a list of Pakistanis nationals who own properties in UK or any UK or Pakistani media group come out with this information.Those thinking of nailing MQM all the time must now think about their illegal assets in Pakistan and outside purchased from ill-gotten money thru corruption.
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Feb 03, 2016 08:55pm
What Pak people fail to understand is that the Brithish envoy is saying is that the British government has nothing to do with the case. Please understand that in West police and judiciary are independent institutions and government have no influence over them. If there is enough evidence they will prosecute otherwise the case may go on until they have sufficient evidence or the case will be dismissed.
If governement dare interfere in the police matters, the police have the right to arrest the governement official includidng prime minister and prosecute them. Something I have been recommending to implement in Pak in my comments here but who is listening :)
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Feb 03, 2016 09:13pm
@Gerry D UK police and agencies such as MI6/MI5 etc are ALL controlled by British Gov. A few hundred k£ cash found and no evidence!? If one has 3-5k hard cash and police searches you and finds, it is a criminal offence and one gets booked for money laundering if one can't prove that the cash is theirs and that they withdrew it from their bank. Those who know UK laws on hard cash holding limits, know all too well that this 'lack of evidence' mantra is a plain lie.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:20pm
@Sunbal Half a million is not a big amount at least in Pakistani sense for a leader who has nonparallel following in country's biggest city. You must know the size of the economy of this city whose tax collection sum runs whole country. Please concern about rich people of Pakistan like Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Imran.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:21pm
We have a murder case of Imran Farooq for British Police to investigate. Money laundering can take a back-burner for the time being because, it is a case very simple to investigate with cooperation of the Pakistan Government. Besides, British Government is spending millions of Pounds in ensuring the safety of the king-pins of money laundering. If the British Government had no interest in harboring and spending money on the king-pins it knows well, it could have simply asked these people simple questions about their legal business in the UK and payment of taxes on their income which is known to exceed 300 million Pounds annual on average, for the last several years.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:23pm
@Arslan Then how do you can prove it the cash belongs to Altaf Hussain.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:24pm
@Arslan really?? What Pakistan authorities have fine with a model who caught red handed with .5 million dollars? Didn't her passport return for God knows reasons??the perception of people like you about these developed countries justice system is totally flawed. Their justice system is not influenced by any political system not even the British political system let alone Pakistan political system aka government. That's y people have respect for police becoz they don't take orders from politicians.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:27pm
It has everything related to govt. of UK.
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Feb 03, 2016 09:28pm
@Syed If it is not British justice system which is not one of the beset then what else country is better than them?
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Feb 03, 2016 09:36pm
@Khalil Ahmed Cases or false cases ? secondly if we start arresting the political leaders merely on the registration of cases against them then our all political leaders will be behind bars none will be spared
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Feb 03, 2016 09:42pm
British Rule of law is one of the finest in the World.
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Feb 03, 2016 10:05pm
Britain is known for treacherous politics on main issues concerning Pakistan, right from handing over secretly Hisarpur Muslim dominated Tahsil in Punjab to India in 1947 that created Kashmir problem which bleads subcontinenent to date.
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Feb 03, 2016 10:05pm
We must accept and respect the decision .....Mr. hussain has been proven innocent by the credible police.
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Feb 03, 2016 10:20pm
Very strange the British government did not bring up the case of tax evasion.
Even British Police can be bought for a price. Very very sad.
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Feb 03, 2016 11:12pm
All the folks questioning the British judicial system are just venting their frustration at AH not being sentenced. For those folks, there is actually a very sound judicial system in UK which does not politicaly victimize individuals. So just accept the verdict and live with your frustration
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Feb 03, 2016 11:14pm
@Syed are there any serious talk shows in Pakistan?
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Feb 03, 2016 11:16pm
No doubt ,metropolitan police and uk judicial system is very independent, and the government cannont interfere in their matters .His council might have provided them some proofs that the money does not belong to him or it was owned by some individuals.
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Feb 04, 2016 12:14am
@Atam Vetta my dear we also saw how people were prosecuted and given upto two jail sentences on evidence such as messages on facebook in London in 2010 because thats what the British government wanted
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Feb 04, 2016 12:23am
@Philosopher (from Japan) please tell us how many people have been prosecuted in the Millie Dowler case where a newspaper detective continued emptying the dead girls voice mail box for more messages for a month making police think she was alive,check what happened to the owner of that newspaper,no evidence was found against the billionaire owners thought they made the money
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Feb 04, 2016 01:02am
@Agha Ata No they are not. They work independently unlike our governments. BTW I think you wantes to say Scotland Yard and not London police!
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Feb 04, 2016 01:05am
There is no legal restriction on keeping money at home in the UK, but why would someone hide such a huge amount of money in a country where even social security payment is paid into your bank account and not in cash. I guess only MQM can get away with it, even in the UK.
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Feb 04, 2016 01:10am
But British intelligence has everything to do with Altaf bhai.
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Feb 04, 2016 01:20am
@Agha Ata: No, London police is not part of British Government. They are part of British State. Actually, both British 'govt' and 'state' works for Her Majesty's government, but not for each other.
British govt depend on election results, and changes every now and then. Whereas, British state remains same. British state follows certain laws, rules and regulations (proposed by parliament and approved by Queen).
When implementing those laws, rules and regulations, state stay impartial. That means, even if PM, Police chief, Judges, Army generals or top bureaucrats violates any law, rule and regulation, than even lowest ranking police officer can arrest that person (regardless of their post), bail or confine them, investigate their crime, and if found guilty, persecute them and send them to jail.
This can happen in UK, because all citizen of UK are equal in front of state ... unlike Pakistan, where police can kill innocent person to please PM, ministers or person holding top posts.
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Feb 04, 2016 01:22am
I think people are missing a point here.
In developed societies & justice system it is not what media says or the public perception is but what can be proven beyond a doubt.
Therefore before even putting pressure on the justice system, LEA's decide based on the available evidence if this case is worth pursuing.
I guess that is why civilized nation have a system called "out of court settlements" in which based on the mutual review and discussion of the evidence available parties mutually agree to a settlement.
I wish we Pakistanis start using our heads more rather our hearts when it comes to logic and reasoning.
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Feb 04, 2016 02:52am
@Agha Ata London Police, for that matter any police in US and UK are not part of the national governments. they are independent bodies. The british police however are Her Majesty's Police force, the Sovereign but not the government.
In USA all local police are independent of the Government. So Obama could not order a person arrested or released. He can only ask the FBI, but he would have to go through the US Attorney General and Director Homeland Security.
For each county the Sheriff is elected and independent from the county government. Basically, the Sheriff and the deputies are the most powerful government functionaries in the US, but even then their jurisdiction ends where the town starts, the town police have the upper hand.
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Feb 04, 2016 04:34am
Leave altaf alone, look internally
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Feb 04, 2016 06:28am
@Arslan Wow, and how do you know it is a lie? please provide some evidence we will all follow you.
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Feb 04, 2016 06:30am
Divide and rule policy of British Rulers still in work. They will never admit it.
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Feb 04, 2016 08:57am
The Police in the UK is not the personal servant of leaders and the high ups as in Pakistan. It works independently and professionally and delivers as Police should in any civilised country. As Pakistanis are not used to this image of Police, hence questions over British High Commissioner's remarks.
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Feb 04, 2016 09:26am
@Harmony-1© Sorry. I didn't realise it. I have been in the USA for a long time. I understand what you mean. Thank you.
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Feb 04, 2016 03:10pm
@Khalil Ahmed If you have enough evidences then please provide to UK Government !!!
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Feb 04, 2016 08:09pm
Arslan: you need to study the British legal system - there was a time even the members of the Royal family were convicted of rash driving and taken to police station,the Queen could not interfere with the police action - would anyone even dare to get hold of ruling elite in Pakistan?
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