MQM founder Altaf Hussain charged with terror funding, money laundering

Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain has been charged with terror funding and money laundering, after Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted an interim charge-sheet before the administrative judge of the Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs).

Citing the charges filed, The Express Tribune reported Hussain, along with others, committed money laundering, while acting against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and creating chaos and terrorism aimed at the country's disintegration.

Hussain and others were booked by FIA's State Bank Circle earlier this month on the complaint of UK-based businessman Sarfaraz Merchant.

The FIA had named MQM's Senator Babar Ghauri, Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra, Khawaja Sohail, Khawaja Rehan and Senator Ahmed Ali as co-accused.

Investigating Officer (IO) Mohammad Ali Abro named the MQM founder as absconder interim investigation report filed on on Tuesday.

However, the charge-sheet does not mention the residential addresses of the absconding accused.

The co-accused have not been named in the charge-sheet, nor shown as exonerated of charges.

The administrative judge of the ATCs sent the case to ATC-II for formal trial.

The FIA said the co-accused sent money to the MQM founder through the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF), the party's charity wing and KKF was used as a source of illegal money transfer to Hussain. 

-ANI