ISLAMABAD: Sarfaraz Merchant has agreed to visit Pakistan to record his statements regarding allegations against leadership of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
Merchant agreed on Monday to arrive in the country on a mutually agreed date and record his statement before a committee, said sources in the agency.
Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to address concerns raised by the businessman to probe the allegations against Altaf Hussain’s links with the Indian spy agency RAW. “FIA director should personally contact Merchant and alleviate his reservations,” he said in a directive issued to the agency. “Sarfraz Merchant is a respectable material witness, thus his due respect and honour be kept in the fore,” Nisar directed.
Earlier during the day, the London-based businessman denied having issued statements regarding the MQM chief’s alleged links with the Indian spy agency. The FIA had contacted Mustafa Kamal and Merchant, seeking cooperation to probe allegations against the MQM leadership.
On March 1, the Karachi-based trader accused the party of involvement in money laundering, criminal activities and links with RAW. Similar allegations were levelled by the former Karachi mayor, who has now launched his own political party.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Merchant has said it is on record that the MQM leaders including M Anwar and Tariq Mir accepted before the Scotland Yard investigators that they received money from India for several years.
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