Police in the UK arrest Pakistan's powerful MQM leader Altaf Hussain on suspicion of money laundering as his party calls for calm. Police in London have arrested the leader of Pakistan's powerful MQM party, Altaf Hussain, on suspicion of money-laundering.
Officers are searching a residential address in north-west London where they say a 60-year-old man was detained.
Mr Hussain has lived in the UK since 1991, saying his life would be at risk if he returned to Pakistan.
His party, which controls Karachi, has urged supporters to stay calm amid outbreaks of violence there.
The British and Pakistani authorities have in the past expressed concerns that any arrest of Altaf Hussain could lead to violent protests in Karachi. The exiled leader of Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, has been arrested in London, sending the country's largest city of Karachi into lockdown.
Scotland Yard said a 60-year old man had been arrested on suspicion of money-laundering during an early morning raid on a house in north-west London, but declined to confirm his identity.
A spokesperson for MQM confirmed that Hussain had been arrested but would not provide further details.
UK and Pakistan authorities have expressed concern that his arrest could unleash a wave of violence in the port city of Karachi, home to 18 million people, which he effectively controls from his London office.
Pakistan officials said protesters in Karachi have blocked roads and destroyed at least six buses and a car following reports of Hussain's arrest this morning. State television showed footage of large crowds gathering on the streets on Karachi and the sound of gunfire.
"All shops and markets are shut. Even small cigarette shops are closed," a Karachi resident told Reuters. "Petrol station operators have also closed down, fearing violence."
Known for his impassioned and fiery speeches, Hussain, a British citizen, has lived in self-imposed exile from Pakistan since 1991.
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