Hareem Shah meets MQM founder Altaf Hussain in London

By
Murtaza Ali Shah
TikTok star Hareem Shah speaking to Geo News while standing outside the Kingston-upon-Thames crown court in London where MQM supremo Altaf Hussain went for the hearing of his hate-speech trial — Murtaza Ali Shah
TikTok star Hareem Shah speaking to Geo News while standing outside the Kingston-upon-Thames crown court in London where MQM supremo Altaf Hussain went for the hearing of his hate-speech trial — Murtaza Ali Shah

Tik Tok star Hareem Shah, who has lately been making a lot of headlines in Pakistani media for her alleged involvement in a money-laundering case, met MQM's founder Altaf Hussain outside of the Kingston-upon-Thames crown court in London on Wednesday.

Speaking to Geo News, Shah said that she was taking a "random stroll" outside of the court when she spotted reporters of Pakistani media outlets gathered outside the court. 

"When they told me that Altaf Hussain was inside the court for his hearing, my friend and I went inside the court to witness the hearing," she said. "I felt very good because I was allowed inside without any troubles. I appreciate the rules and regulations of the United Kingdom."

Shah said that when the MQM leader went outside of the court after the hearing and she approached him, his guard tried to stop her.

"But Altaf Hussain stood up from his chair and told the guard not to stop me. He then talked to me for a long time and prayed to God to ease my difficulties," she said. 

She said that she was "surprised" to find out that Hussain already knew who she was.

"I don't know if he knows about my case with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), but he prayed for me, and I really felt good about it," she said.

Shah said that while she "does not know much about" the MQM leaders as she was "very young" when he was "active in Pakistan," she still respects him.

"I have only learned about him through the media, and we shouldn't blindly trust everything [projected on the media]," but the way he treated me, he earned my respect," she said.

"Altaf Hussain is a respected elder for me, and his prayers mean a lot," she told Geo News. "I also pray for his acquittal [in the hate-speech trial]."