BBC News: Pakistan asks United Kingdom over claims India funded MQM party

Khan, who met the British High Commissioner in Pakistan Philip Barton earlier in the day, added: “It is the responsibility of the British government to extend as much help as possible to Pakistan in this regard”.

Karachi: The mainstream political parties in Pakistan have urged the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to clarify its position over a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which claims that the party was funded by the Indian government.

The report comes in the backdrop of frequent accusations by Pakistan that India’s intelligence agency RAW trained militants in the country.

“Chaudhry Nisar, neither your prayers, nor your fasting will be accepted or recognized (by Allah Almighty) as you are a liar”, Hussain said in reaction to interior minister’s recent statement. This demands transparent investigation and access to information to take the issue to its logical conclusion.

“Shortcomings of governance can not be rationalised by blaming neighbours”, the spokesperson said.

“On Wednesday, BBC published a report headlined ‘Pakistan’s MQM ‘received Indian funding”. The Prime Minister ordered “a proper probe” to ascertain the truth.

The letter noted that BBC’s revelations were a cause of great concern for Pakistan. Khan said the documentary has become significant for Pakistan in the wake of India’s confessions. He also shared with the prime minister details of the initial inquiry.

It also said that a Pakistani official has told the BBC that India has trained hundreds of MQM militants in explosives, weapons and sabotage over the last 10 years in camps in north and north-east India.

It is pertinent to mention here that the MQM has rejected the allegations leveled in the BBC report and terms it as a part of media trial and conspiracy against the party. “The report is about certain people”. For many years the party has been accused of using violence to impose its will in Karachi.

The minister said the objective was not to malign MQM as there is no dearth of respectable senior politicians and patriotic individuals in MQM.

“I am busy with my professional obligations”, he said. Even if we ignore the MQM’s accusation of the bias (if not obsession) of Owen Bennet-Jones against it, one cannot but wonder how he could have gone along with such a version from such a source without applying a critical mind to it. Also, how could the BBC risk its own credibility and reputation by taking such a questionable story from (according to the description “authoritative’) such a dubious source?” Nisar shared initial details of the report with the PM and said departments concerned of the interior ministry have been directed to investigate the matter.