KARACHI: Officials conducting investigation against Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain for his alleged involvement in terror financing and money laundering have approached the authorities of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates for seeking further records and evidence from their banks allegedly used for illegal activities, say documents of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

In a related development, an antiterrorism court on Thursday issued bailable arrest warrant for Mr Hussain in the case pertaining to terror financing and money laundering and directed the FIA to produce him before it till Nov 15.

An interim charge sheet prepared by FIA against Mr Hussain and presented before the antiterrorism court recently has disclosed the moves the agency has so far made to pursue the investigation on an FIR lodged last month against the MQM founder on the complaint of UK-based businessman Sarfaraz Merchant.

In the charge sheet FIA alleged that the MQM’s charity wing, Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation (KKF), was allegedly used as a source for illegal money transfer to Mr Hussain in London. According to it, the MQM founder also allegedly received money from India for unlawful activities in Pakistan.

The charge sheet has been prepared mainly on the basis of investigations conducted by Metropolitan police in London.

Interestingly, Mr Merchant was among half a dozen suspects, including Mr Hussain, who were grilled by Scotland Yard in the money laundering investigation in London. However, the investigation against all the suspects was dropped in October last year.

The FIA has also named Karachi’s Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra, Senator Babar Ghauri, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, Khawaja Rehan and Senator Ahmed Ali as co-suspects in the FIR, claiming that funds from the bank accounts of KKF were illegally transferred in the accounts of these persons.

Moreover, the FIA charge sheet has also mentioned the names of Tariq Mir and Mohammad Anwar as alleged partners of the MQM founder. “The funds collected by KKF are to be utilised for various social welfare activities whereas the funds are being misused by Altaf Hussain and his accomplices in the UK and Pakistan through MNAs, Senators, Deputy Mayor and other members of the MQM. The funds transferred [layered] from bank accounts of KKF in account of different individuals and organisations were subsequently bank-to-bank transferred to MQM (UK) and various other accounts in the UK.”

However, the charge sheet was silent on the status of all co-suspects as the investigating officer neither charge-sheeted them as suspects, nor left them out for want of evidence.

According to it, a large amount of cash was seized by the Metropolitan police from the premises associated with MQM and a significant amount of asset was identified in the UK, which according to the Metropolitan police was believed to represent the funds provided to MQM by Indian government for unlawful activities.

It further maintained that Tariq Mir and Mohammad Anwar revealed during a questioning session with the Metropolitan police that MQM was receiving funds from Indian government.

Therefore, the interim report contended that both men were partners in the business with Mr Hussain and the MQM had not declared the source of funds before the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Referring to the documents of the Metropolitan police, the report said that arms and ammunition amounting around Rs4 million were purchased, adding that similar weapons were seized during various raids in Pakistan.

It further maintained that the undeclared bank accounts of MQM in Pakistan were being used for money laundering and that these funds were generated from illegal activities, including extortion, targeted killing, illegal donations and kidnapping for ransom.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017