KARACHI: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Shahid Hayat on Sunday met former city mayor Mustafa Kamal at hisresidence in Karachi where he sought information fromthe dissident Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader over his formerparty's alleged links to Indian spy agency 'RAW'.
Fellow MQM defector Anees Qaimkhani and former provincial minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed, who has also quit the MQM to join the dissidents, were also present at Kamal's residence. Television footage showed Dr Sagheer greeting Hayat at the door upon his arrival.
The FIA had contacted Kamal and Sarfraz Merchant the previous day to seek their cooperation in the investigation into allegations of funding by the Indian intelligence agency RAW to the MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Kamal had accused his former party’s top leadership of having links with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in a press conference where he formally announced to part his ways with the MQM along with senior leader Anees Qaimkhani.
A few days later, Dr Sagheer Ahmed and a member of Sindh Assembly, Iftikhar Alam, also announced that they were joining hands with Kamal and Qaimkhani to form a party for which a name is yet to be decided.
The MQM dissidents endorsed the allegations, which Sarfaraz Merchant, a key suspect in the money-laundering case also involving MQM chief Altaf Hussain and others, levelled during an interview with Geo News. Merchant alleged that the party received funds from ‘RAW’.
On Saturday, the FIA contacted both Kamal, defacto chief of the MQM’s breakaway group, and Merchant to cooperate in its inquiry into the allegations.
Merchant is likely to come up with a response to the FIA request on Monday after holding consultations with his legal advisors.