A U.S. citizen and former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Kahkashan Haider Khan, 54, pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with international terrorism.
U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant delivered the 96-month sentence in the Eastern District of Texas. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Court documents reveal that Khan, an immigrant from Karachi who became a U.S. citizen, used her position to recruit and facilitate terrorist actions in Pakistan. Her activities involved collecting funds from sympathisers in the United States and wiring the money to Pakistan to finance violent operations.
In January 2023, Khan recruited an individual in Pakistan to conduct fire-bombings on two Punjabi-owned gas stations in Karachi. Evidence presented to the court showed she meticulously planned the attacks. This included:
- Selecting target locations.
- Discussing which flammable accelerants to use.
- Planning, staging, and escape routes for the attackers.
- Arranging and paying for two firearms to ensure the attack’s success.
The plot took a strange turn on February 20, 2023. Khan’s co-conspirator in Pakistan sent her photos from news coverage of a gas station fire-bombing.
Khan celebrated the news, believing the attack had been carried out successfully. She promised her co-conspirator a great reward. However, after scouring the internet for a day, she discovered the photos were from an unrelated incident in October 2022.
Read: Sharjeel Memon Accuses MQM of Instigating Violence in Karachi
On February 23, 2023, FBI special agents interviewed Khan at her home in Texas. During this interview, she made multiple false statements about her involvement in the planned attacks. She later admitted during her plea hearing that she knowingly lied to investigators in a material terrorism investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs emphasised the department’s stance: “We will not allow the United States to be a launching point for terrorist attacks abroad. Vigilantly protecting the United States and its interests is inherent in everything we do.”
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock added that the FBI will “aggressively investigate individuals planning or taking part in acts of violence in support of terrorism.” It is important to note that the U.S. court proceedings did not involve or suggest any role by MQM founder Altaf Hussain in Khan’s actions.
However, in March 2021, Karachi’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) DIG Omar Shahid Hamid had publicly identified Khan as a member of “MQM-London.” He alleged she was plotting assassinations to trigger sectarian violence. The CTD claimed she had established target-killer groups in collaboration with anti-state elements.
