BBC report claims MQM received Indian funding

LONDON: A report by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) quoting an ‘authoritative Pakistani source’ claims senior officials in Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in formal recorded interviews told authorities in the UK they had ‘received funds from the Indian government’.

The report by Owen Benett-Jones states the BBC was informed by a Pakistani official that over the last 10 years hundreds of MQM militants had been trained by India in 'explosives, weapons and sabotage'. The training was taking place in camps in north and north-east India.

According to the report prior to 2005-06 training was provided to mid-ranking MQM members, while in recent years it was also provided to junior party members.

A list of weapons was also found at a MQM owned property by UK authorities.

When the BBC asked the Indian government about MQM members being trained in India it termed this ‘completely baseless’ while an MQM official said the party would not comment on "rumours".

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is interviewed in the report and says the MQM has evolved into a mafia. “There is a political side to the MQM which is now shrinking and there is militant side to the MQM. That militant wing is controlled by Altaf Hussain sitting in London”.

Khan said most Pakistanis would be shocked about allegations of Indian funding, “however on occasions you get the impression that he is being controlled from the outside.”

The BBC report also mentions senior Karachi police officer Rao Anwar’s claim that two arrested members of the MQM had confessed to being trained in India.