Altaf Hussain slapped with fine in UK for tax evasion

LONDON: The UK government has slapped MQM founder Altaf Hussain with a fine of more than £2 million over tax evasion, a media report said.

Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of Hussain’s dues, Geo News reported.

Altaf Hussain is accused of evading tax over a period of 20 years from large earnings running into millions of pounds.

The tax investigation is based on income, payments, assets accumulation and National Insurance contributions which were never paid between 1995 and 2015.

The investigation is based on the estimated income and monthly expenditures of the MQM leader and his workers.

Hussain is protected round-the-clock by three full-time bouncers; two maids; a full-time driver, and a cook, according to the Geo News report.

His house expenditure alone and settlement payment to his former wife Fiza Gabol and daughter Afzaa is estimated to be around £50,000 per month. This amount doesn’t include the payments made to Hussain’s party staff who man the London office full-time and have been doing so for over 20 years.

Dozens of people have worked in a full-time and part-time capacity at MQM’s International Secretariat. At its peak, nearly 20 people were on the payroll of the party and it is understood that the recipients were getting cash in hand as many of them also received government benefits for living and income.