ISLAMABAD: Sarfraz Merchant has though provided some convincing evidence about Altaf Hussain’s links with RAW, those probing the case need crosschecking and verification of the available proof from foreign authorities to make it a fit case to prove in a court of law.
Interior ministry sources told The News that the probe, which was referred to the FIA in March this year, may take a few years to conclude. “Expecting something to happen in a few months is not possible as the FIA probe is dependent on the response of authorities in other countries, including the UK, Canada, the UAE etc,” a source said.
The probe team, it is explained, has to first get the evidence verified from the concerned foreign authorities besides interviewing concerned witnesses. The money trail, from RAW to Altaf Hussain, has also to be established.
Merchant had claimed in Geo’s Shazaib Khanzada show that several lists of explosive weapons were found in the house of MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London when it was raided by Scotland Yard in 2014. The former donor and a close associate of top MQM leaders had also accused the party of having links with India.
Merchant had said that Scotland Yard police had shown him a list of explosive weapons found in Altaf’s house and asked him if he had paid for them or knew who had signed it. The police had admitted that a list was found from the MQM leader’s house which showed that over £65,000 were paid for purchasing the weapons.
Merchant added that Scotland Yard asked him if he was aware that the MQM received money from India and if he had any role in facilitating this money. Merchant had claimed that he was also given “credible evidence” which showed that the MQM had received funding from India and Mohammad Anwar and Tariq Mir admitted before the police that they had received money from the Indian intelligence sources.
Merchant also talked about a Dubai-based Indian company involved in transferring money to MQM’s accounts. Sarfaraz Merchant, one of the suspects in the London money-laundering case, also involved top leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
It was following Merchant’s revelations on Geo News that the interior minister assigned the FIA to probe the alleged link between the top MQM leadership and RAW. Sarfaraz Merchant was summoned by the FIA with whom he shared the evidence.
The interior ministry had also asked all security and intelligence agencies, including ISI and IB, to share with the FIA inquiry team any evidence or information available with them regarding the MQM-RAW links.https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/150777-Probe-into-Altaf-RAW-link-may-take-several-years
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