Papers reveal over 80 bank accounts linked to MQM that totally denies all the charges of money laundering and extortion
Scotland Yard documents reveal that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership had control of over 80 bank accounts which, the police suspects, were used to move large sums around.
Investigators have confirmed that these accounts were discovered by the police after the the MQM related money-laundering probe started in December 2012.
This correspondent has seen evidence which details each and every bank account linked directly or indirectly with the MQM leader Altaf Hussain or his property concerns. The MQM’s financial chief in Britain and Altaf Hussain’s confidante Tariq Mir has 38 bank accounts in his name.
The MQM has totally denied all the charges of money laundering and blamed its opponents hatching conspiracies against it in this regard.
The BBC said on Friday that the MQM had more than 70 accounts but an investigation by this correspondent shows that the total number of accounts held by the top MQM leadership is over 80.
‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath’ show revealed that the MQM (UK) as a political party had 12 accounts in various banks in London. Papers show that the MQM (UK) has two accounts in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS); four accounts in Barclays; three accounts in Lloyds TSB; two accounts in HSBC; and one account in Bank of America.
MQM’s charity - The SUN (Society for the Unwell and Needy) – has two accounts in Barclays bank.
Investigators found that the MQM’s leader Altaf Hussain, based in North London’s Mill Hill area, has 26 in his name. Documents show that Altaf Hussain one account in American Express; eight account in Barclays Bank; seven accounts in HSBC; five account in TSB; two accounts in Natwest; two accounts in Rapahel; and one account in Santander bank.
Papers show that senior MQM leader Muhammad Anwar, who is also being investigated for money-laundering along with Sarfraz Merchant, Altaf Hussain, Tariq Mir and others, has only two accounts (in Barclays and HSBC) and these appear to be his personal accounts but subject to investigation.
Scotland Yard inquiries found that senior MQM leader Tariq has 38 accounts in his name. He has six accounts in HSBC; 12 accounts in Santander; four MBNA Europe accounts; two accounts in Barclays; six accounts in Bank al-Falah 6; one account in Allied Bank; two accounts in MCB; one account in Lloyds Bank; one account in National Westminster Bank; one account in Metro Bank; one account in Royal Bank of Canada; and one account in the Nationwide.
MQM’s Euro Properties has three accounts: one account each in RBS and Barclays and one account in Ras al-Khaimah (PSC).
The documents seen by this reporter show how British banks, nudged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) diplomats, overlooked and violated the rules in allowing so many accounts to the MQM’s exiled leadership. An MQM source told that most of these accounts have been shut down now. The insider said that the MQM has access to only about 5 accounts now and the police was in the loop about these accounts. The source said that lots of MQM’s outgoing bill payments are now made directly from Karachi and Dubai. MQM has paid tens of thousands of Pounds to its law firm Corker Binning and lobbying firm Bell Pottinger but most of these payments were made from Pakistan followed by London accounts. MQM has dismissed Scotland Yard’s claims about the bank accounts.
Papers seen by this correspondent show that Scotland Yard has asked Pakistani authorities if they have any details about the payments made into the MQM linked accounts from Pakistan. Its understood that Pakistan’s Federal Investigations Agency (FIA) is currently looking into banking transactions from Pakistan to MQM’s London accounts. Altaf Hussain was arrested as part of the money laundering probe in the middle of 2014 but the money laundering probe started in December 2012 during the course of investigation of Dr Imran Farooq case. Scotland Yard has passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service to make a decision whether or not to charge the MQM leadership.
During their investigation into the murder of Mr Farooq the police found £167,525.92 (about $235,000) in the MQM's offices in London and a further £289,785.32 in Mr Hussain's home in Edgware, north London. Large cash amounts were also seized from the houses of Iftikhar Ahmad, Sarfraz Ahmned, Sarfraz Merchant and Tariq Mir.
Papers show that Scotland Yard has asked Pakistani authorities to provide any evidence relating to the MQM’s alleged involvement in extortion offences. “Several media reports state that MQM is engaged in extortion from the people and businesses in Karachi. It is believed that money is demanded in the form of ‘chits’ that are delivered to each business. If the money is not paid it is believed that the businessmen and their property are subject to violence. Any evidence of this would assist in identifying potential sources of income for MQM,” says the police request paper, making a mention of the 2012 Baldia factory fire case.
It should be noted that the MQM has time and again rebutted all the charges of extortion levelled by its detractors.
Scotland Yard has also asked Pakistan to provide details of the returns filed by the MQM to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The police wants to see if the MQM broke Pakistan’s electoral laws by not declaring the donations it allegedly received from many sources including allegedly from the Indian spy agency RAW. The police has confirmed that it’s investigation will determine whether the MQM breached the Political Parties Order, 2002, by not declaring the political donations it received.
The MQM has always denied receiving money from India and termed these allegations baseless and politically motivated.
The Scotland Yard documents ask of the FIA authorities: “enquiries be made in Pakistan to obtain copies of the ‘statement of accounts’ submitted by MQM since 2002.”
“A digital copy of the internal accounting records would be preferable. Details of donations and who they were received from and all other sources of income including the collection of animal hides covering from the year 2000 to the current date would assist,” says one document.