Dr Imran Farooq murder suspects retract confession

Three men record fresh statements before ATC judge at Adiala Jail

LONDON: The suspects in the MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq murder case retracted their confessional statements before an anti-terrorism court judge on Wednesday.

Khalid Shamim, Syed Mohsin Ali and Moazzam Ali recorded their fresh statements before anti-terrorism court judge Shahrukh Arjumand at a hearing held at the Adiala Jail.

The suspects decided not to present any witnesses for their defence.

The judge sought told the Federal Investigation Agency special prosecutor to present the final argument in the case by May 19.



Last year, Khalid and Mohsin had changed their confessional statements recorded before a magistrate in 2016. The third suspect, Moazzam Ali, had not recorded his statement back then.

Dr Farooq, a founding member of the MQM, was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in London in September 2010.

Khalid said he was tortured prior to the recording of his earlier statement before a magistrate. He added that he was forced by the investigation officer of the case to confess to his involvement in the murder.

Mohsin said he had refused to confess before the magistrate despite being subjected to mental and physical torture.

He alleged that he had complained to the magistrate about his treatment. However, he added, a confession statement prepared earlier was signed and attested by the magistrate.

Khalid, Mohsin and a third suspect, Moazzam Ali, were indicted by an anti-terrorism court in 2018. The suspects had pleaded not guilty to the indictment.

Captain (retd) Shoaib had recorded Khalid and Mohsin’s earlier confessional statements.

In their earlier statements, Khalid and Mohsin had stated that Dr Farooq was killed because he was a “potent threat to the MQM leadership”.



Khalid had confessed that Dr Farooq’s murder was a “birthday gift” for the MQM founder and Mohsin had stated that he took part in the crime because he was promised a position in the MQM’s London Secretariat.

On December 5, 2015, the FIA registered a case against the MQM chief and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the 2010 murder of Dr Farooq.

The slain MQM leader, inactive in politics for about two years then, had claimed asylum in Britain after more than seven years on the run from police in Pakistan who had accused him of involvement in murder and other serious crimes. He had denied the charges.

In February this year, Shumaila Imran, Dr Farooq’ widow, and other British witnesses had testified before the anti-terrorism court in Islamabad via video link.