LONDON    -    The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) estranged founder Altaf Hussain has lost multiple proper­ties in a legal battle with former party loyalists in a UK high court.

The Muttahida Qaumi Move­ment-Pakistan (MQM-P) has won a long-running legal battle against Altaf Hussain over the ownership of London properties worth £10 million. Properties’ case contin­ued for years which was brought by MQM-P leader Syed Aminul Haque.

The British court remarked that MQM-P is the real party and its current members are the real beneficiaries of the trusts which managed these properties. In its verdict, Insolvency and Compa­nies Judge Clive Jones ruled that in August 2016, Altaf Hussain stepped down from any role with MQM-Pakistan.

In their argument, MQM-Paki­stan leaders maintained that Al­taf Hussain had no leadership role in party for the last seven years. It was believed if court verdict landed against Altaf , the controversial politician would be left with nothing.

During the legal proceedings, the court was appraised that the properties in question were pur­chased with the use of funds given by MQM stalwarts and workers. Altaf Hussain was also spotted in previous court hearings recording evidence in the case.

Maqbool Siddiqui said the UK court’s decision was proof that MQM-P was the ‘real MQM’. He said “The properties of the martyrs” would now be used for the welfare of the people, including litigation for martyred, missing, and captive workers of the party.

Siddiqui said MQM-P had de­cided that a part of the proper­ties would be given to the widow of Imran Farooq, a former MQM leader who was murdered in Lon­don in 2010.