1 month ago
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced Wednesday that it was in contact with US authorities and awaiting further details about the alleged involvement of a
Pakistani national
in a foiled
assassination plot
targeting former President
Donald Trump
. “Before giving our formal reaction, we also need to be sure of the antecedents of the individual in question,” Pakistan’s foreign office said.
The US Justice Department reported that Asif Raza Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani man, has been charged in connection with a plot to assassinate a
US politician
or govt officials.
A criminal complaint revealed that Merchant, a resident of Karachi, allegedly has ties with Tehran. He told investigators he has a wife and children in Iran and a separate family in Pakistan.
Local media reports suggest Merchant worked as a branch manager in a Karachi bank in 2010. His responsibilities included managing an asset and liability portfolio of over Rs 1,850 million, encompassing clients from various sectors including petroleum, textiles, leather, paper products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, as well as various retail, commercial, and corporate clients.
Merchant’s resume detailed his roles in marketing new clients, reviewing and monitoring branch financials, and preparing interim and annual reviews.
A complaint against Merchant claimed he sought to recruit people in the US to carry out the plot in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards top commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad in 2020 during Trump’s presidency.
English (US) · 