Sarfaraz Merchant agrees to visit Pakistan after security assurance

ISLAMABAD, March 14: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Inam Ghani contacted Sarfraz Merchant on Monday after which Sarfraz has agreed to visit Pakistan to record his statement regarding money laundering and RAW cases on Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).
According to a private television channel report, earlier Sarfraz Merchant objected his summon. Sources also revealed that Inam Ghani has assured safety to Sarfraz during his visit to Pakistan.
During his conversation with Inam, Sarfraz said that he is being enquired by the British Police at the same time, to clarify their reservations is equally necessary.
Earlier, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar ordered the FIA director to personally contact Sarfraz Merchant. He said Sarfraz Merchant is an eyewitness in different cases and should be treated with respect and dignity.
FIA last week formally approached Sarfaraz Merchant, a close aide of MQM leader Muhammad Anwar and a co-accused in money laundering case against Altaf Hussain, in London over his allegations that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement received funds from the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Reportedly, FIA Islamabad Director Inam Ghani spoke to Merchant and invited him to come to Pakistan to record his statement and share the evidence regarding his claim.
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).
kmal, 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. -DNA