RAWALPINDI: A 12-member British Metropolitan Police team completed on Friday its investigation into the 2016 controversial speech case of MQM-London leader Altaf Hussain.

The British police team came to Pakistan on Sunday to collect evidence and interview the witnesses of the case.

A six-member team of Sindh police officials appeared before the British police’s Counter Terrorism Command (S015) as witness and recorded their statements.

The Sindh police officials were called to Islamabad by the Federal Investigation Agency’s counterterrorism wing.

The police witnesses who appeared before the British investigators include Abdul Ghaffar, a sub-inspector at the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP East), Karachi office; Inspector Hameed Khan from the SSP Investigation Officer, South-I Karachi; Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Saddar, Kanwar Asif; Saddar Station House Officer Inspector Peer Shabbir Haider; Saddar police constable Rao Rashid and Constable Qamar Zaman of Artillery Maidan Police Station.

Six officers of Sindh police appeared before the UK police’s Counter Terrorism Command as witnesses

FIA Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) Director Dr Mazhar ul Haq Kakakhail coordinated with the British police team in completion of their investigation into the case.

The Sindh police officials interviewed by the British police experts were posted in Sadar Circle, Karachi at the time when the MQM leader had made his anti-Pakistan speech in August 2016.

After the MQM leader’s speech, the MQM supporters allegedly attacked media outlets near the Karachi Press Club, triggering more violence, including burning of vehicles.

Official sources said the aim of the British CTC team was to collect evidence in the form of a written testimony from key witnesses to the events which took place on August 22, 2016.

The evidence collected by the British team will be presented to the Crown Prosecution Service to ascertain whether there is sufficient material to initiate prosecution against Mr Hussain in UK courts.

The Sindh police witnesses left for Karachi on Friday after recording their evidence.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2019