Two Masked Men Target Altaf Hussain’s London Home; MQM Calls Incident Assassination Attempt
LONDON: Two masked men allegedly forced their way onto the property of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain in north London, damaging the entrance while attempting to gain access to the house, according to Hussain and MQM officials.
The incident took place at Hussain’s residence in the Mill Hill area. Video footage circulated following the incident appears to show two masked individuals entering the property after crossing the front gate.
According to Hussain’s account, the men initially entered the property before leaving and returning around 10 minutes later. During the second attempt, they allegedly tried to force their way into the house and damaged a door and a window near the main entrance.
Hussain said he was inside his ground-floor bedroom, only a short distance from the attempted entry point, when the incident occurred. He said the intruders fled after the property’s security alarm was activated.
Speaking about the incident, Hussain said he was neither frightened by the attack nor intimidated by threats against him. He thanked Allah Almighty for his safety and credited the prayers of his supporters, including mothers, sisters, elders, young people and children.
MQM representatives have characterised the incident as an attempted assassination. Mustafa Azizabadi alleged that the masked men appeared to be trained and said the circumstances indicated that the incident was more serious than an ordinary attempted break-in.
However, the motive of the intruders and their identities have not been publicly established, and the claim that the incident was an assassination attempt has not been independently confirmed.
Police were contacted after the incident and officers attended the property, according to reports and MQM officials. Forensic examinations were also carried out as part of the investigation.
Hussain said he had faced attacks previously in Pakistan, recalling an incident on December 21, 1991, near Aisha Manzil in Karachi in which he said he was targeted with a hand grenade.
The MQM Coordination Committee strongly condemned the London incident and called on British authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, identify the two masked individuals and establish whether anyone else was behind the incident.
Party representatives have also urged the UK government and relevant authorities to take the security threat against Hussain seriously and provide appropriate protection.
As the investigation continues, no publicly confirmed information has established who the two men were, what their motive was, or whether they were acting on behalf of another person or organisation.