Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain is said to be in the intensive care unit of a British hospital after reportedly contracting Covid-19.
“I have been in the ICU in hospital for the last 20 days,” he said in an audio message shared on his party’s social media channels. “It is due to your (supporters’) prayers that I have been able to record this message on this day of Saturday, Jan 30, 2021”.
The messaged was shared by London-based reporter, Murtaza Ali Shah.
He urged his followers to keep praying for him and warned them to take proper precautions against the novel disease.
There has been no official word from the MQM to confirm whether or not Altaf is indeed suffering from the coronavirus.
Altaf has been living in the UK in self-imposed exile since 1991. On October 11, 2019, he was formally charged by the Crown Prosecution Service under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act 2006 for encouraging terrorism during a speech he made in August 2016.
Last year, London High Court’s Deputy High Court Judge Peter Knox has issued freezing orders on the six properties controlled by the party founder following an application for their takeover by MQM-Pakistan.
Earlier in November 2020, reports emerged that Altaf, who requested asylum in the 1990s and later gained UK citizenship, was facing a financial crisis and was unable to pay his utility bills.
He was allowed by the London court to use social media to a limited extent and he has been also allowed to speak to his followers but on social terms only.
