Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has been discharged from a London hospital in the early hours of Saturday, after being admitted for the second time in a month, a party leader has confirmed.

The MQM founder was previously hospitalised in London on 10 July due to what was described as a “severe illness”. He underwent several medical tests and blood transfusions before being discharged on 23 July.

According to London-based senior MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi, Hussain was allowed to leave the hospital at 12:30am GMT (5:30am PKT) after spending nine hours in the emergency ward and undergoing various tests.

بریکنگ : ایم کیوایم کے بانی وقائد جناب الطاف حسین کو لندن کے مقامی اسپتال میں 9 گھنٹے ایمرجنسی وارڈ میں زیرعلاج رکھنے اور مختلف ٹیسٹ کے بعد ڈسچارج کردیا گیا ہے۔ #GetWellSoonAltafBhai
جناب الطاف حسین کو طبیعت خراب ہونے پر جمعہ 8 اگست 2025 کی سہ پہر مقامی اسپتال لے جایا گیا تھا… pic.twitter.com/XH4BucPxkC

— Mustafa Azizabadi (@azizabadi) August 9, 2025

Diagnosis and Treatment

“After various tests, doctors diagnosed him with severe flu and a chest infection. The doctors prescribed antibiotics and other medications for Mr Altaf Hussain and advised him to take complete rest,” Azizabadi shared on X.

He detailed that Hussain underwent a blood test, electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-ray, and oxygen level monitoring. “Hussain has expressed his gratitude to all the workers and members of the public who prayed for his recovery during his illness,” Azizabadi added.

Past Health and Political Background

In February 2021, Hussain reportedly contracted Covid-19 and remained in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Britain.

Hussain has lived in self-imposed exile since 1992 and currently resides in London, where he holds British citizenship. From there, he has continued to play an active role in politics, addressing his followers in Karachi through televised speeches.

He founded MQM, originally known as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, in 1984 to represent the Urdu-speaking community that migrated to Pakistan during Partition. Under his leadership, MQM won the 1988 elections in Sindh’s urban areas, becoming the country’s third-largest party.

The MQM under Hussain was accused of using violent tactics to gain and maintain political power, an allegation he denied, saying the party and its workers had been targeted by the state and rival political forces since its formation.

Hussain was seen as controlling Karachi from London and faced criticism in May 2013 for a televised speech allegedly suggesting Karachi’s separation from Pakistan if his party’s mandate was not accepted by the ‘establishment’. The party later stated that the remark had been taken out of context.

The party’s decline began after Hussain’s controversial speech in August 2016, in which he raised slogans against Pakistan.