ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday issued permanent arrest warrants for the alleged Iftikhar Hussain, Muhammad Anwar and Kashif Kamran, suspected of being involved in the Dr Imran Farooq murder case, media reports confirmed.
The arrest warrants of the accused were received by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) anti-terrorism wing. The FIA has also been directed by the court to contact Interpol to ensure the arrest of the suspects within one week since two of the suspects, Iftikhar Hussain and Muhammad Anwar, are reported to be in the United Kingdom currently.
As per reports, the FIA, in compliance with the court orders has completed documentation for the extradition request to Interpol authorities.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports about Kashif Kamran’s death are also circulating.
Scotland Yard has named former All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (APMSO) activists Mohsin Ali Syed and Kashif Khan Kamran as suspected murderers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Dr Imran Farooq. Farooq had been murdered outside his residence in London in September 2010.
A prime suspect in the murder case claims that the London-based party founder directed him to assassinate Farooq in a telephonic speech to workers in Karachi.
This was revealed in a confessional statement by Khalid Shamim before the magistrate. Investigators suspect that Shamim was the key planner of the assassination ,in addition to providing material support to the murderers. Shamim claims that his confession was not under duress and he is regretful of what happened.
Shamim in his statement said that following Dr Farooq suspension of party membership, the party founder had left a message for him during a telephonic speech that he “could be assassinated near a park.”
Media reports reveal that after the MQM founder’s speech, party leader Mohammad Anwar told Dr Farooq to listen to the speech since Quaid had a message for him in the speech.
The suspect in the statement quoted Anwar saying that Imran Farooq was establishing another group in the party and had to be stopped.
He further claimed that Farooq was assassinated on September 16 to be presented as a present for the party founder’s birthday on September 17.
Shamim claimed that the murder was plotted by him along with other suspects Moazzam Ali and Kashif Khan Kamran at the MQM’s headquarter Nine-Zero.
Shamim further confessed that the murder was funded by the MQM founder who sent 25,000 pounds through his nephew Iftikhar Hussain.
Another suspect Mohsin Ali agreed to go to London and provide aid for the murder, he claimed further.
Shamim further revealed that he along with Mohsin were arrested from Chaman border while crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan in 2015.
Farooq, 50, a founding member of the MQM, was stabbed and beaten to death in Edgware, northwest London, as he returned home from work on September 16, 2010.
Dr Farooq, aged 50, was on his way home from work on September 16, 2010, when he was murdered on Green Lane, Edgware outside his London home. A post-mortem examination disclosed that he died from multiple stab wounds and blunt trauma to the head.
The MQM leader had claimed asylum in Britain in 1999. He was wanted in Pakistan on scores of charges, including torture and murder, but always claimed the accusations were politically motivated.
On December 5, 2015, the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) had registered a case against MQM’s self-exiled chief and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in Dr Farooq’s murder.
The FIA’s counter-terrorism wing had registered a case under the relevant clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Act and clauses pertaining to conspiracy, assistance, abatement and assassination/murder have also been incorporated in the FIR.
