Tariq Mir, Mohammad Anwar black stains on MQM: Rasheed

LAHORE: Federal Information Minister, Pervaiz Rasheed on Sunday said that Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Tariq Mir and Mohammad Anwar are black stains on the party which will have to be removed.

He said the statements made by the two regarding confessions about Indian funding to the party are a deep dark stain and if they do not come forward to clear it, the blemish will remain.

Pervaiz Rasheed went on to say that in that case, MQM will have to come forward and take responsibility to clear its name.

The minister further said that MQM is a true patriotic party representative of the Urdu speaking people.

He added that if the party leadership fails to prove the allegations false, it will have to choose between either Karachi or MQM.

Rasheed also said that the government will be pursuing assistance from Scotland Yard on the matter.

Tariq Mir’s alleged statement to London Metropolitan Police, given on May 30, 2012, surfaced on social media late on Friday, in which he had confessed about Indian funding to the party.

The statement surfaced following a BBC story accusing MQM of getting funds from India earlier in the week. The news story claimed that two of MQM's senior London-based leaders had confessed to receiving funds from India.

According to the alleged statement, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and leaders Mohammad Anwar, Dr Imran Farooq and Mir himself were aware of Indian funding to the party.