Allegations against MQM leadership: FIA contacts Mustafa Kamal, Sarfaraz Merchant
FIA has contacted Mustafa Kamal and Sarfaraz Merchant to probe allegations against MQM leadership.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday contacted former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal and Sarfaraz Merchant to probe allegations leveled against the top Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership.
Sarfaraz Merchant, a close aide of MQM leader Muhammad Anwar and a co-accused in money laundering case against Altaf Hussain, was contacted by Director FIA Inam Ghani in London, sources told.
The FIA has invited Merchant to come to Islamabad. On this, he said that he will respond to the request after consulting his legal aides.
On the other hand, Sindh FIA Director Shahid Hayat contacted Mustafa Kamal in Karachi to obtain details regarding alleged links between the MQM leadership and Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Kamal, who won wide support as mayor of Karachi from 2005 to 2010 for his efforts to ease traffic and improve public services, leveled blistering criticism at Husain’s strongarm tactics in a press conference last week after returning to Pakistan after three years.
Kamal left Pakistan in 2013 over reported differences with Husain, and had lived in Dubai since then.
He accused Altaf Hussain of being an Indian agent and a ‘dictatorial drunkard’ who has mismanaged the affairs of Pakistan’s biggest city from his base in north London.
In a blistering attack, Mustafa Kamal also accused Hussain of overseeing an organisation that has turned some activists into “international terrorists”.
Rumours have persistently swirled around Hussain, but senior members of his party have always scrupulously avoided even veiled criticism of their leader. Their code of silence has allowed Hussain to maintain firm control over the MQM’s army of activists, despite living in self-imposed exile in the UK for more than 20 years.
The MQM is also under pressure from the paramilitary Rangers force, which launched an armed operation in the southern port city late in 2013 to tackle soaring crime rates. Since then, hundreds of MQM workers have been arrested and a court has issued an arrest warrant for party boss Altaf Husain for threatening the army in a television address.
