KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) issued a 10-million-dollar defamation notice to The New York Times' former Islamabad bureau chief, Declan Walsh, and the editor, printer and publisher of the newspaper for allegedly causing disrepute to Altaf Hussain in a 'baseless' report published, according to the official website of the MQM.

The notice was served by MQM's counsel Barrister Farogh Naseem which stated that the baseless reporting on behalf of the NYT had caused damage to the repute of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

The legal notice asked the New York Times newspaper editor, it's printer, publisher and journalist Declan Walsh to tender an un-conditional apology within seven days and warned of due legal action in case of failure to do so.

It is pertinent to note here that Declan Walsh, The New York Times' then Islamabad bureau chief, was expelled from Pakistan on the eve of May 2013 general elections, after the interim government had accused him of unspecified ''undesirable activities.''