Imran Farooq case: FIA finally appoints prosecutor

Trial of the case expected to start from October 20

ISLAMABAD: After around 10 months, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has finally appointed a prosecutor in the Dr Imran Farooq murder case.

Following the appointment, the trial expected to commence from October 20.

The FIA’s decision to appoint its Counter-Terrorism Wing Deputy Director Waseem Ranjha as prosecutor came after the Anti-Terrorism Court conducting trial had questioned the seriousness of the agency in pursuing the case. The authority had failed to appoint a prosecutor in the case despite repeated orders from the court.

ATC-I Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi had previously remarked if the FIA was not serious about pursuing the case then it should clearly inform the court about it. The court had said that if the prosecutor is not appointed by the next date of hearing then the FIA DG should come to the court and explain the reasons.

The court had expressed displeasure over the fact that the FIA was carrying out investigations into the case for several months but had failed to appoint a prosecutor despite assuring the court time and again.

With no prosecutor appointed, the defence lawyer remained unable to present his arguments. The delay had provided the defence with an opportunity to allege that the prosecution did not have any evidence to prove its case which is why it was not appointing a prosecutor.

Two suspects, Khalid Shamim and Syed Mohsin Ali, have already recorded their confessional statements before the magistrate alleging that the slain Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader was killed as he was a “potent threat to the leadership of MQM.” Moazzam has not yet recorded confessional statement in the case.

On December 5, the FIA had registered a case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the 2010 murder of Dr Imran Farooq. Farooq was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in Green Lane, Edgware, in September 2010.

The counter-terrorism wing of the FIA had registered the case under the relevant clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The clauses of conspiracy, assistance, abetment and assassination/murder have also been incorporated in the FIR.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2016.