KARACHI: Senior politicians Dr Farooq Sattar and Anis Ahmed Khan Advocate on Saturday appeared before investigators belonging to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and recorded their statements denying any links with two held suspects allegedly trained by Indian intelligence agency RAW.

Dr Sattar is the head of MQM-Pakistan’s Organisation Restoration Committee (ORC) while Anis Advocate was a leader of the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).

“Both the leaders arrived and answered questions asked by the CTD investigators,” said DIG Omar Shahid Hamid.

He said that the CTD asked Anis Advocate to appear again as the investigators needed some documents and to ask further questions.

The CTD claimed to have arrested suspects Imran and Naeem on May 28 alleging that they were senior MQM workers and “trained by RAW’. They said that the duo told investigators that they had developed ties with RAW with the help of Dr Sattar.

A senior police officer says PSP leader Anis Advocate is asked to appear again

‘Double standard’

Talking to the media after appearing before the CTD Civil Lines, Dr Sattar said that held suspects had shown their affiliation with the MQM and given his reference, but he “rejected the links and reference the alleged suspects made about me”.

He said in the recent past a suspect had named Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, but the CM was not summoned or grilled in the light of the allegations made against him.

He said summoning him was an example of “double standard”.

Dr Sattar said that he would not talk in detail about the CTD questioning because it might adversely affect the inquiry.

He maintained that his organisation had zero tolerance for criminals. “We had remained associated with a political party for 30-35 years ... if someone met and took pictures it would be inappropriate to link us on such basis,” he said.

He made it clear that his name was not included in the FIR.

He said it had been their complaint that politicians were being implicated in criminal cases on a political basis.

“We condemned terrorism in the past and are ready and willing to cooperate for the sake of peace,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2021