Money laundering: FIA seeks ban on transfer of KKF's vehicles

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed on Saturday an anti-terrorism court that it has asked excise, taxation and narcotics control department to ban the transfer of vehicles belonging to Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) – a welfare organisation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P).

FIA officials submitted a copy of the letter the agency has written to the department in this regard in the ATC today.

They stated that FIA has sought details of 48 vehicles belonging to the organisation from the department and restrained it from transferring ownership of these vehicles.

It is pertinent to mention here that FIA has seized 29 properties of the KKF, saying they were made by using extortion money. The investigation authority had earlier said the money collected through donations was being sent to London with the help of six different facilitators.

The properties made from black money found at Karachi’s Liaquatabad, F.B. Area, Surjani Town, Orangi Town, Rifa-e-Aam Society, Malir, Qasba Colony, Garden and Lyari areas. The plots in the name of KKF also found at Pak Colony, Napier Road, KCH Society, Ranchhore Lane areas of the metropolis.

KKF-owned plots were also found in Bahadarabad, Clifton, Gulistan-e-Johar, Buffer Zone and North Karachi areas, according to the details.

The properties in the name of the charity wing of the MQM also found in outside Karachi including one property in Hyderabad and two plots in Khairpur city.

The investigation agency has dispatched the list to the deputy commissioners of Karachi South, East, West and the deputy commissioner Khairpur.

The Counter Terrorism Wing of the FIA has also dispatched the list to Anti Terrorism Court City Khairpur and the Administer KKF. The lists dispatched to concerned institutions included complete details of the properties seized by the FIA.

In Nov 2018, the FIA had released a list of 726 suspects, including Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar, involved in money laundering through KKF.

The names of Akhtar, Qamar Mansoor, Ashfaque Mangi, Tanveer-ul-Haq Thanvi and other important persons were listed among the people involved in the illegal activity.

As per investigations of the FIA, more than 50 MQM leaders were involved in illegal transfer of money. The FIA had cautioned that suspected MQM leaders will be nabbed immediately, as the probe reaches its final phase.

The government had sought information from the relevant countries in this regard and a lawyer, Barrister Toby Codman, was appointed by the federal government in the UK.