MQM-P to hold public gathering on 5 November

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Dr Farooq Sattar, on Wednesday announced that his party will hold the public gathering against injustice being done with Sindh in ‘national Census’ despite refusal by the administration to give permission. “To protest against the census’ results is our political and basic right. We will hold the November 5 public gathering without permission from police and administration,” he told news conference.

“The grand alliance had announced to hold a public gathering at Mazar-e-Quid. Since two gathering can’t be held at a same place, we cooperated with administration and offered to hold gathering at Shahra-e-Quideen.

The MQM-P chief said it is necessary for his party to hold the rally and denying permission for that is “yet another injustice to us.”

He said none of his party members has been nominated in the money laundering investigations against the MQM by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Sattar, however, admitted that Deputy Mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, Khawaja Rehan Mansoor, former senator Ahmed Ali and Rauf Siddiqui have been approached by the agency pertaining to the investigations.

“I also received a letter addressed to the MQM president, regarding the money laundering case,” he said, adding it remains unclear as to which MQM president the FIA seeks to question.

The party chief said he could guarantee that no money has been laundered after August 23 separation between Pakistan and London factions of the MQM. “However, if any money was laundered prior to August 22, then it was not in my knowledge.”

“Even Arshad Vohra isn’t involved in laundering money and the allegations against him are false,” he said.

Responding to Sarfraz Merchant’s allegations, he said the allegations against him are “baseless.”

“I reject the allegations of having been in direct or indirect contact with the MQM founder or other members of the London-based group,” Sattar said. “I also denied the allegation of making assets worth billions of rupees against Amir Khan.”

He alleged Merchant of having a key role in crime and every illegal activity in the metropolis.

The MQM-P requested the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the activities of the “central character of money laundering.”

“Merchant has been at the center of every illegal activity [in Karachi] and it should be investigated,” he claimed.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has started investigating money laundering charges against the MQM members, Sattar said. He, however, claimed that no one has been nominated in the first information report (FIR) lodged on Merchant’s complaint.