LONDON – Former leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Saleem Shehzad, died on Sunday after the prolonged illness.
The deceased was suffering from liver and Kidney cancer for the past three years. He had been shifted to a hospital in West London two days ago after his health condition deteriorated.
Shehzad has left five daughters and a widow to mourn his death. He will be buried in London after two days, family said, besides appealing to the public for prayers.
The founding leader of the MQM parted ways with Altaf Hussain-led party after Hussain made anti-Pakistan speech inciting violence in August 2016.
In Dec 2017, Saleem Shahzad announced his decision to set up his own political party with an aim to contest election from Orangi Town, an area in Karachi. Later, he held a meeting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and reports emerged that he has joined the PTI.
Shahzad, a close aide of MQM supremo, had been taken into custody by the Karachi police when he landed at Karachi airport from Dubai in February 2017 after ending 24-year long self-imposed exile. He was wanted by the police in several cases. Later, he was freed from prison in June on bail.
One of the recent allegations against him was leveled by Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr. Asim Hussain saying that Shahzad had provided shelter to terrorist and facilitated them for medical treatment.
