Islamabad - The case was registered by the Federal Investigation Agency against London-based MQM chief and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the murder.
Published: Sat 5 Dec 2015, 4:49 PM
Last updated: Sun 6 Dec 2015, 1:05 AM
The Government of Pakistan on Saturday registered the case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder in Pakistan against MQM chief Altaf Hussain and others.
Among others nominated in the case are MQM senior leader Mohammed Anwar, Iftikhar Hussain, who is said to be a close aide of the MQM chief, and suspects Muazzam Ali Khan, Kashif Khan Kamran, Mohsin Ali Syed and Khalid Shamim.
The case was filed by Federal Investigation Authority’s (FIA) counter-terrorism wing in Islamabad under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Altaf Hussain has been accused of conspiracy to murder. Anti-terrorism clauses have also been invoked in the FIR. Imran Farooq, a top leader of the MQM, was murdered outside his residence in London in 2010. He died after suffering stabs wounds and a blow to his head. He was removed from the committee a year earlier.
The case has been registered on the basis of confessional statements by Moazzam Ali, alleged to be facilitator, and others. Ali also admitted having met Altaf Hussain in London prior to the murder.
The development comes three days after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced that the FIR of the Dr Imran Farooq murder case would be registered in Pakistan.
Addressing a Press conference on Wednesday, Nisar said Imran Farooq was a Pakistani national and it was the responsibility of the state of Pakistan to bring his killers to court. He said all evidence and investigations concerning the high-profile murder case had been exchanged with Scotland Yard and that, after the registration of the FIR, it would be decided how to extend the investigation process to other facilitators.
The slain MQM leader was twice elected an MNA in Pakistan, but went into hiding in 1992 when the government ordered a military crackdown on party. He later claimed asylum in Britain in 1999.
The FIR was registered a coupe of hours before the conclusion of local government polls in Karachi and 12 districts of Punjab.
MQM leader Khalid Maqbool blamed the government for registering the case to undermine party’s position in the election under pressure from the Rangers.
news@khaleejtimes.com
iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
