ISLAMABAD: The Fed­eral Investigation Agency (FIA) is considering initiating criminal proceedings against some leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Move­ment (MQM) and Pak Sar­za­meen Party (PSP) for not cooperating in a money laundering case.

According to sources in the FIA, the decision had been taken at a meeting held at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by senior investigation officers and Toby Cadman, a lawyer based in the United Kingdom. The sources claimed that some senior members of the MQM and PSP did not provide relevant details to the FIA and did not join the investigation either despite being sent several notices.

They added that it had been decided to issue warrants against party members. They said Mr Cadman had been called in for a consultation regarding the matter.

Earlier this year, the FIA disclosed that it had hired Mr Cadman to pursue the money laundering case against the MQM-London chief in the UK. The London-based lawyer is expected to prove instrumental in gathering fresh evidence for Scotland Yard and the UK Crown Prosecution Service related to the money-laundering cases against the MQM-London chief.

British investigative agency Scotland Yard had dropped its investigations into the case in October 2016.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018