ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday to address ‘reservations’ of Sarfaraz Merchant who recently claimed that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was receiving funding from Indian intelligence sources.

The minister directed the FIA chief to contact Mr Merchant and invite him to visit Pakistan to record his statement. “Sarfaraz Merchant’s status is that of a witness and his honour and respect must be kept in view,” the minister said.

FIA Director Islamabad Inam Ghani had contacted Sarfaraz Merchant on Saturday to invite him to visit Pakistan and the latter promised to give a reply by Monday after consulting his legal team.

Although the interior ministry did not say what happened in the follow-up call made by the FIA director, it is clear that Mr Merchant refused the invitation because he had some reservations and complaints.

Chaudhry Nisar recently formed a committee in the FIA to investigate the allegations of RAW funding to the MQM and other related aspects. He had said that Mr Merchant would be invited to visit Pakistan to record his statement and present documentary evidence he had talked about.

He said that if Mr Merchant was not ready to come to Pakistan the UK government would be asked to allow an investigation team to visit the country and give it access to him.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2016