Pakistan 'verifying antecedents' of Karachi man involved in murder-for-hire plot against Trump

Islamabad, Aug 7 (IANS) Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday opted to hold its formal response on the overnight verdict given by a New York federal court that charged a Pakistani national of being involved in a plot to assassinate Former US President Donald Trump.

The involvement of Asif Raza Merchant, a 46-year old Pakistani national believed to be having close ties with Iran, in the "murder-for-hire plot" has put the authorities in the Pakistani capital on a sticky wicket.

The Foreign Office, bombarded with queries on Merchant, has so far maintained that it was in touch with the US officials to ascertain the background of the accused.

"We have seen the media reports. We are in touch with the US authorities and await further details. We have also noted the statements by the US officials that this is an ongoing investigation," Pakistan Foreign Office stated.

"Before giving our formal response, we also need to be sure about the antecedents of the individual in question," it added.

Analysts, however, believe that the issue could throw wide open the Pandora's box and could put a serious dent on the relationship between the United States and Pakistan.

Merchant has been charged in a "murder-for-hire" plot as "part of a scheme to assassinate a US politician or government officials on US soil".

FBI Director Christopher Wray stated, "this dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties with Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook".

As per the available details, Merchant, a Shia Muslim, hails from Karachi city. He has two wives - one living in Iran along with the couple's children and the second in Pakistan.

Merchant allegedly has close contacts in Iran and may have acted on directives from the Iranian intelligence agencies, a suspicion yet to be ascertained in the case.

Details of his alleged involvement in the assassination plot reveal that in April 2024, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan after spending time in Iran.

In the US, Merchant came in contact with the person who he believed could help him carry out the plan. In June 2024, he met his US contact in New York and briefed him about his plans to assassinate Trump.

"Merchant told the person that the opportunity he had for the source was not a one-time opportunity and that there would be multiple chances to carry it out. Merchant then made a finger gun motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing," stated the criminal complaint in the New York federal court.

"Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be targeted in the US and instructed his contact person to arrange meetings with individuals whom he could hire to carry out these actions," details of the case revealed.

Interestingly, when Merchant's contact person in the US asked him if he had spoken to the "party" back home with whom he was working, he confirmed that the party back home had directed him to finalise the plan and leave the US.

However, Asif's contact reported the plan to the US law enforcement and later became a confidential source for the department.

It was then that Merchant's source arranged a meeting with purported hitmen who were undercover US law enforcement officers in New York. It eventually led to the arrest of Merchant.

"Asif advised them all that he was looking for three services: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies, and killing a political person," stated the case details.

"Merchant said that the hitmen would be given instructions on who to kill either in the last week of August or the first week of September, after he would have departed the US," the details mentioned.

Later on, Merchant arranged $5000 to give as advance payment to the hitmen, which he allegedly arranged through an overseas source. Merchant had also planned to leave the US on July 12 but the US authorities arrested him and the entire plot was exposed.