FIA seeks Kamal, Merchant's help to probe allegations against MQM

The former mayor and the businessman assure the FIA of their cooperation to investigate the charges against the MQM

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) contacted on Saturday former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal and businessman Sarfaraz Merchant, seeking cooperation to probe allegations against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership.

On March 1, the Karachi-based trader accused the party of involvement in money laundering, criminal activities and links with India's premier spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The allegations were followed by a press conference by the former mayor who levelled the same allegations besides launching his own political party.



Director FIA Inam Ghani asked Merchant to visit Pakistan and cooperate in the case. At this, the trader said he would consult his legal advisers and decide in this regard before March 14, sources in the agency said.

Similarly, Director FIA Sindh Shahid Hayat called Kamal and asked for his cooperation relating to the terrorism allegations he had levelled on the MQM leadership on March 3.

The former mayor assured the FIA of his full cooperation and a meeting between the officials and him is expected within the next 24 hours, they added.

The move came two days after Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced that a committee comprising members of the agency had been formed to investigate allegations against the Karachi-based party.



On March 5, Nisar urged Kamal to provide documentary evidence to prove the aforementioned claims, saying allegations against the MQM were not new.

Merchant was a close aide of MQM leader Muhammad Anwar and a co-accused in the ongoing money laundering case in London. Similarly, Kamal, who had silently left the country in 2013, returned only to disassociate from the party and its chief Altaf Hussain.