Pakistan to prosecute Imran Farooq murder suspects

Govt decides to lodge FIR after UK police’s silence on their fate, says Nisar

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has decided to lodge an FIR against three suspects allegedly involved in the 2010 murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement convener Dr Imran Farooq in a London neighbourhood.

Dr Farooq was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in Green Lane, Edgware, in September 2010. Investigators from the London Metropolitan Police, which has been investigating the assassination, flew into Pakistan in July and September this year to interrogate the suspects – Moazzam Ali Khan, Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali – who are in custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.



Moazzam Ali, who had allegedly facilitated Farooq’s killers, was arrested in March from Karachi while Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali, were arrested by the Frontier Corps Balochistan in Chaman – a town on the border with Afghanistan.

“The decision to lodge an FIR in Pakistan has been taken after observing London police’s silence on the fate of the three suspects. British authorities did not make any request for the extradition of these suspects,” Pakistan’s security czar told a news conference on Tuesday.



Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the interior minister, said that after the remand of the suspects expired, the government had two options: to let them go scot-free or to register a formal case against them.



The FIR will be lodged because some serious aspects came to light during investigation carried out by the UK police and Pakistani officials, he added. “After seeking opinion of legal wizards, we have assigned the task to Islamabad chapter of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe this high-profile murder case.”

Asked about possibility of MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s involvement in this case, Nisar said the FIR would be registered against the three accused. “Interrogation will determine who else is involved in this case,” he said.

Karachi attack

About the targeted killing of two Military Police soldiers in Karachi, Nisar said evidence collected so far suggested the attack bore similarities with the November 20 terrorist assault on the paramilitary Rangers. Four Rangers troops were killed in the attack outside a mosque in the Baldia Town neighbourhood of the city.



“During interrogation of an accused, it transpired that a group of terrorists has made a plan to target Rangers and Army personnel,” he added. “We will hunt these terrorists down everywhere.” Nisar said the government would intensify the ongoing surgical operation in the metropolis.

Pakistan-EU stance on deportation

Nisar said an EU delegation, which visited Pakistan recently, recognised our concerns on the readmission treaty between Pakistan and the 28-nation bloc. “In January next year teams of experts from both sides will examine this treaty clause by clause,” he added

He said the EU commissioner on migration also endorsed his genuine concerns on false terrorism charges against Pakistani citizens. “The response of the EU countries is positive and encouraging,” Nisar added.



He said during the last 13 days, 234 human traffickers had been arrested. “Four of them are most wanted; some 48 are proclaimed offenders and 17 are absconders.”

Registration of INGOs

The interior minister said 129 international nongovernmental organisations (INGs) had applied for registration till November 30. “The ministry has extended the registration deadline for a month to accommodate the remaining INGOs.”

Nisar said the government was not against these INGOs but wanted to see them operate under Pakistani laws. “We have introduced laws and a mechanism for the working of these organisations, while ignoring international pressure,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.