The founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has been fined £2 million by the UK government for evading income taxes. The amount is equivalent to Rs441 million. There is already an ongoing investigation to ascertain the extent of the MQM leader’s financial matters.
According to Geo TV, Hussain has been fined for not paying nearly over £2 million to the national exchequer over a period of 20 years. He has evaded taxes over large earnings running into millions of pounds.
The tax investigation is based on payments, income, National Insurance contributions, and assets accumulation. Hussain did not pay tax on any of these expenses from 1995 to 2015. The investigation is based on the overall income and monthly expenses of the MQM leader and his workers.
As per an estimate, Hussain’s house expenditure and settlement payment to his former wife Fiza Gabol, and daughter Afzaa is nearly £50,000 per month. This amount does not include the payments made to Hussain’s party staff who work in the London office full-time for the last 20 years.
Several people have worked as full-time and part-time workers in the MQM’s International Secretariat. Twenty people were on MQM’s payroll. All of the recipients got their salaries in cash. Moreover, many of the recipients also got government benefits for living and income.
The lawyer of MQM’s founder has argued that since the expenses of his client’s expenses were covered by donations, no tax was levied on him.
However, the British court has rejected the lawyer’s argument. As a result, the court imposed a fine of £2 million on the MQM founder Altaf Hussain. In case of non-payment of fine, Hussain may have to go to jail.
Twitterati react to the fine imposed on Altaf Hussain
Pakistani social media users on Twitter also reacted to the £2 million fine imposed by the UK government on Altaf Hussain for evading taxes.
One of the users says, “The Queen has now taken extortion money from Altaf Bhai”.
Another user has this to say…
Another user posted this image on Twitter.
Last year, the MQM founder was arrested in London for inciting violence through hate speech in August 2016. Altaf Hussain was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offenses contrary to Section-44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.
Apart from that, the court also ordered to raid Hussain’s house in north London. In the raid, 15 officers took part. The residence was on search by a forensic unit of Scotland Yard.
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