Altaf Hussain's letter to British PM is authentic : DG ISI

The Director General of ISI Ahmad Shuja Pasha has confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter of Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain addressed to then British Prime Minister Tony Blair and termed it "authentic".

DG ISI said the copy of the letter, which was referred to by Former Senior Sindh Minister Dr. Zulfikar Mirza in his recent press conference and is also available on the Internet, is "genuine". 

The Leader of MQM and Former Karachi Mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal has however already termed the letter presented by Zulfiqar Mirza before the media as "fake and false". He had claimed that the address of MQM’s London Headquarter written in the letter was fake and the letter seems "self content".

But contrary to MQM's stance, the Official Website of Muttahida Qaumi Movement has proved MQM's claim as wrong, i.e. a Press Release posted on MQM’s Official Website "WHAT NAZARIA-E-PAKISTAN IS? – ALTAF HUSSAIN" and dated 26th October 2000 carries the same address which MQM Leader Mustafa Kamal had termed as "fake".

Moreover, MQM’s Former Senior Leader and Victim Dr. Imran Farooq had reappeared from this office being used as Headquarter before moving to the new offices in Middle Sex, London. 

The copy of the alleged letter shows the MQM Chief Altaf Hussain seeking disbandment of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) in return to offering his party’s services to ground human intelligence within Pakistan and in Afghanistan for the British and other Western Intelligence Agencies. The alleged letter also sought foreign interference into country’s domestic affairs, political and administrative. 

The following is the operative part of the alleged letter written on 23rd September 2001 by Altaf Hussain to Tony Blair: 

“Hon. Tony Blair M P

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

10 Downing Street

London W1

Dear Prime Minister

Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) categorically stands against all sorts of terrorism, religious fanaticism and violence, and favours genuine democracy.

We can provide the following:

1. Many demonstration in Karachi in favour of the International Community combating terrorism within five days notices after this agreement being signed, putting hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of Karachi (provided the permission of the Government of Pakistan is secured). First demonstration is scheduled for 26th September 2001 in Karachi, the port city of Pakistan.

2. Provide unlimited resources for humint throughout the towns and villages in the province of Sindh and the province of Punjab to some extent, to monitor the activities of fundamentalists and Taliban led organizations, and also to monitor the activities of “Madrasas” (Religious Schools).

3. To ensure select groups to penetrate Afghanistan in the form of aid workers so as to enhance the Western Agencies intelligence information capabilities.

In return for this assistance, we would seek assurances to achieve the following minimum objectives, which would be held essential for ourselves and for the good of Pakistan as a whole. Our objectives are as follows:

a) Equitable participation in the governance of the province of Sindh and the Federation as partners, genuinely.

b) Equitable participation in all spheres of life, including education, employments, army and administration.

c) That we would need local policing consisting of Muhajirs and Sindhis.

d) That full autonomy be granted to the provinces with Federation keeping only three subjects; Defence, Foreign Affairs and Currency control; and in these sectors equal representation from all provinces be guaranteed.

e) ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence Agency) the secret agency must be disbanded otherwise the ISI will continue to produce may Osama-bin-Ladens and Talibans in future.

I hope that you would be kind enough to seriously consider my offer for the benefit of Pakistan, should any geo-strategic and commercial relevance of Pakistan left for the United Kingdom and the Intelligence Community.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

With best wishes and warmest regards.

Yours sincerely

Altaf Hussain

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).”