Hindustan Times : My life at great risk: Imran

My life at great risk: Imran

Vijay Dutt, Hindustan Times | November 15, 2007

After spending less than 48 hours in custody under the anti-terrorism Act, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, has sent a desperate text message, a SOS literally, to his solicitor here saying that he feared for his life.

Earlier, too, he had expressed his grave concern for his security through a text message to his UK lawyer also named Imran Khan. He warned that failure by British authorities to prosecute the key London-based ally of General Pervez Musharraf, Altaf Hussain, could lead to lethal repercussions.

Hussain was accused of a range of criminal acts, including allegedly soliciting murder and inciting violence. A dossier compiled by Khan, the London solicitor and human rights campaigner, on behalf of his namesake was handed over to Scotland Yard and an investigation was under way into allegations of money laundering. In the message, which the Independent claimed to have seen, Imran says, “Once MQM [Mr Hussain] thinks he is safe then my Karachi workers and my own life will be at great risk.”

Imran Khan had come to London a few months ago to press for the prosecution of Altaf Hussain under the UK’s anti-terror laws after gunmen opened fire on supporters of Pakistan’s sacked Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, sparking a day of violence in May in which 42 people were killed in Karachi.

It was alleged that the security forces had stood by allowing MQM members to open fire. Imran’s and other parties, lawyers and rights activists accused MQM leader of orchestrating the violence from London. But Altaf Hussain, speaking to HT then, had dismissed theses allegations as fabrications.