An MQM activist sentenced to eight years in a US federal prison for her involvement in a Karachi terrorism plot has brought international attention to alleged terror financing and facilitation from abroad. Kahkashan Haider Khan, 54, a former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist, pleaded guilty to making false statements in relation to international terrorism directed in Karachi.
US District Judge Amos L. Mazzant delivered the 96-month sentence. Acting US Attorney Jay R. Combs announced the verdict, emphasizing the US commitment to prevent its soil from becoming a launchpad for overseas terror acts. Haider’s case revealed her role in planning firebombings in Karachi.
MQM Activist Sentenced: Details of the Plot
On February 23, 2023, FBI special agents interviewed Khan regarding her participation in the planned fire-bombing of two gas stations in Karachi, Pakistan. A US citizen and immigrant from Karachi, Khan, who moved to the US in the early 1990s, served as a recruiter and facilitator. She collected funds from MQM sympathizers in the United States and wired these funds to Pakistan, arranging and paying for violent actions.
In January 2023, Khan recruited an individual in Pakistan to conduct firebombings on two Punjabi-owned gas stations in Karachi. She extensively discussed the plan, including target selection, accelerant types, staging locations, and escape routes. Khan also arranged for the purchase of two firearms to ensure the attackers’ success.
On February 20, 2023, Khan’s co-conspirator in Pakistan sent her photos of news coverage showing a gas station fire-bombing in Karachi, which injured six people. Khan celebrated this news, promising significant rewards for his work. However, she later discovered these photos were from an October 2022 event, leading to her fury and accusation of deceit against her co-conspirator. This was also mentioned in local reports, including SindhNews.com.
During her FBI interview on February 23, 2024, Khan made several false statements, denying her involvement in the attempted attacks. At her plea hearing, she admitted these statements were false and material to a terrorism investigation.
Official Reactions and Broader Allegations
Acting US Attorney Jay R. Combs stated, “We will not allow the United States to be a launching point for terrorist attacks abroad.” FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock affirmed the FBI’s commitment to “aggressively investigate individuals planning or taking part in acts of violence in support of terrorism.”
Beyond the US charges, Pakistani officials previously made allegations against Kahkashan Haider. In March 2021, Karachi’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) DIG Omar Shahid Hamid claimed Haider was part of “Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London” and involved in plotting assassinations to trigger sectarian violence, establishing “target killers’ groups in collaboration with India’s RAW and anti-Pakistan Sindhi and Baloch groups.” He stated CTD and Rangers obtained “concrete evidence” from interrogated alleged hitmen.
MQM-London, through Mustafa Azizabadi, issued a statement asserting that Kahkashan Haider was removed from the party in 2019 for violating party discipline and engaging in activities against its interests, revoking her basic membership. The US court proceedings did not discuss the involvement of MQM-London or its founder, Altaf Hussain, in Haider’s specific actions.
This sentencing serves as a clear message that individuals attempting to orchestrate international terroristic activities from US soil will face legal consequences, highlighting the collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies to counter such threats.