KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Chairman Dr Farooq Sattar on Tuesday said that Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra parted ways with the party and joined Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) since he could not put up with the pressure of the money laundering case taken up by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Talking to a private news channel, Sattar said that Vohra will be acquitted from the case as he had transferred money abroad through legal means and the State Bank had not issued any warnings to him regarding the transaction.
The MQM-Pakistan leader said that the forced changes of loyalties are only an artificial means to strengthen PSP and affect city’s politics.
“I am not ready to accept that he resigned just because of our local bodies performance,” he said. “I am just a phone call away from him; he could have discussed it with me.”
Sattar claimed that a majority of MQM supporters who had left the party are now seeking to rejoin it.
“We are working from one office, our 200 offices are sealed. We will prove ourselves when there will be level playing field,” the MQM-P leader said.
Sattar claimed that he gave the party a direction.
He requested PSP leader Anis Qaimkhani to take care of Vohra and conveyed his message to Vohra that the party would welcome him back if he decided to join back MQM-P.
Responding to a question, he said that he has not taken any decision to de-seat Vohra from his seat.
Sattar also denied all allegations levelled by Sarfraz Merchant about the transfer of funds after August 23, when MQM-P had formally announced that it had severed ties with MQM-L and party founder.
