No judicial commission to probe Mustafa Kamal’s allegations: Nisar
Says Pakistan cricket team will be sent to India only if security team's report is positive
Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar addressing a press conference at Punjab House in Islamabad on March 5, 2016. PHOTO: PID
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said former Karachi mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal did not present any documentary evidence against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and its chief Altaf Hussain.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, the minister said most of the allegations levelled by Kamal were not new and he did not present any proof to support his statements.
Reacting to the demands of constituting a judicial commission to probe into the former mayor’s allegations against the MQM and its supremo, Nisar said, “Every other day, there’s a press conference, should the government constitute a commission after every such news conference?”
Mustafa Kamal launches political party after no-holds-barred tirade against Altaf Hussain
Commenting on the revelations made by Sarfraz Merchant, a trader who was accused alongside MQM chief in a money laundering case, the interior minister said the government had decided to take legal action and constituted a committee to investigate the matter as Merchant claims that he has documentary evidences against the MQM that it is receiving funds from India.
In the first phase, the committee will contact Merchant and request him to come to Pakistan and share evidences with us, he added.
“However, if he refuses to come to Pakistan, and asks us to conduct an interview in London, it will take long as we will have to take permission from the UK authorities.”
Rehman Malik visited Altaf Hussain with party's permission: PPP
The government has also decided to raise this matter at the governmental level with the British authorities, the minister added.
Talking about the Imran Farooq murder case, he said, “I would like to invite Mustafa Kamal or anyone who have any evidence, documentary or otherwise, regarding money laundering case or Imran Farooq murder to come forward and share it with us.”
The committee constituted to investigate money laundering would start working from Monday and email and other contact numbers of the committee would be provided, he added.
“But let me assure everyone, including the MQM, no injustice will be done to anyone.”
Government to send security team to India
The interior minister said the government would send a security team to India next week to survey the situation on the ground before the country's cricket squad travels to play against their arch-rival during an upcoming India-Pakistan World T20 tie.
The security team will leave for India on Monday once the Indian government approves, he said adding Director FIA Lahore Usman Anwar would head the committee.
Team to assess security of Pakistani cricketers in India
The teams are set to square off in India's Kolkatta, Dharamsala and Mohali during the World T20's first round, which kicks off on March 8 and ends on April 3.
Islamabad have already voiced concerns about security in India, saying there were specific threats from Hindu activists who forced the cancellation of a meeting between cricket officials from the two countries in Mumbai last October.
The South Asian adversaries have not played a bilateral series for more than three years amid diplomatic tensions.
Those were worsened by a January attack on India's Pathankot airbase, which came days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise peacemaking visit to Pakistan in December.
Pakistan's team is scheduled to leave for India next week; however, the interior minister said the trip could be delayed if conditions on the ground are found to be unsatisfactory.
"It will make no difference if we have to delay the team's departure until we get a clear message that India is safe for our team," said Khan.
"People of Pakistan want their team to take part in the T20 but at the same time we cannot remain oblivious to the threats being hurled out by extremist organisations in India."
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, the minister said most of the allegations levelled by Kamal were not new and he did not present any proof to support his statements.
Reacting to the demands of constituting a judicial commission to probe into the former mayor’s allegations against the MQM and its supremo, Nisar said, “Every other day, there’s a press conference, should the government constitute a commission after every such news conference?”
Mustafa Kamal launches political party after no-holds-barred tirade against Altaf Hussain
Commenting on the revelations made by Sarfraz Merchant, a trader who was accused alongside MQM chief in a money laundering case, the interior minister said the government had decided to take legal action and constituted a committee to investigate the matter as Merchant claims that he has documentary evidences against the MQM that it is receiving funds from India.
In the first phase, the committee will contact Merchant and request him to come to Pakistan and share evidences with us, he added.
“However, if he refuses to come to Pakistan, and asks us to conduct an interview in London, it will take long as we will have to take permission from the UK authorities.”
Rehman Malik visited Altaf Hussain with party's permission: PPP
The government has also decided to raise this matter at the governmental level with the British authorities, the minister added.
Talking about the Imran Farooq murder case, he said, “I would like to invite Mustafa Kamal or anyone who have any evidence, documentary or otherwise, regarding money laundering case or Imran Farooq murder to come forward and share it with us.”
The committee constituted to investigate money laundering would start working from Monday and email and other contact numbers of the committee would be provided, he added.
“But let me assure everyone, including the MQM, no injustice will be done to anyone.”
Government to send security team to India
The interior minister said the government would send a security team to India next week to survey the situation on the ground before the country's cricket squad travels to play against their arch-rival during an upcoming India-Pakistan World T20 tie.
The security team will leave for India on Monday once the Indian government approves, he said adding Director FIA Lahore Usman Anwar would head the committee.
Team to assess security of Pakistani cricketers in India
The teams are set to square off in India's Kolkatta, Dharamsala and Mohali during the World T20's first round, which kicks off on March 8 and ends on April 3.
Islamabad have already voiced concerns about security in India, saying there were specific threats from Hindu activists who forced the cancellation of a meeting between cricket officials from the two countries in Mumbai last October.
The South Asian adversaries have not played a bilateral series for more than three years amid diplomatic tensions.
Those were worsened by a January attack on India's Pathankot airbase, which came days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise peacemaking visit to Pakistan in December.
Pakistan's team is scheduled to leave for India next week; however, the interior minister said the trip could be delayed if conditions on the ground are found to be unsatisfactory.
"It will make no difference if we have to delay the team's departure until we get a clear message that India is safe for our team," said Khan.
"People of Pakistan want their team to take part in the T20 but at the same time we cannot remain oblivious to the threats being hurled out by extremist organisations in India."