Dr Imran Farooq murder: London police arrest 2 suspects

The two suspects were reportedly arrested from the Karachi Airport at least two months ago.


Express November 11, 2011

LONDON: London police commisioner Bernard Hogan-Howe has confirmed that two alleged killers of MQM’s leader Dr Imran Farooq were arrested in Karachi.

The Police Commissioner has been quoted by a London-based newspaper stating that the killers would not be allowed to roam freely on the streets of London.

He also said that London Police is working with Pakistan in Dr Imran Farooq's murder case.

Imran Farooq, who was a prominent MQM leader, was killed last year on September 16, outside his residence in London.

The two suspects were reportedly arrested from the Karachi Airport at least two months ago but Pakistani police never confirmed their arrest.

The arrest of the suspects has finally been confirmed by the British police today.

In August this year, the MQM had urged the media to refrain from spreading “unfounded speculations” about arrests made in Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case.

A statement issued by MQM’s coordination committee said that news reports on two people being arrested at the Karachi airport were “devoid of truth, baseless and concocted.”

The committee said that the purpose behind these “fabricated and malicious” reports was nothing but to “tarnish the image of the MQM and damage its reputation.”

Background

Dr Farooq, one of the founding members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and its forerunner the All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organisation (APMSO) was born in June 14, 1960.

The veteran MQM leader held several posts in the MQM, serving as its first secretary-general and convener, besides being elected to the National Assembly and the party’s parliamentary leader in 1988 and 1990. He was regarded as one of the party’s main ideologues, responsible for the political education of its supporters. After the Nawaz Sharif-led government launched a crackdown on MQM in 1992, Dr Farooq, like other party leaders, went into hiding. Later, he escaped to England in 1999, claiming political asylum there. He got married in 2004. Dr Farooq, 50, is believed to have been attacked on his way home in Green Lane, Edgware.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly mentioned that that the 1992 operation in Karachi was under the PPP-led government. This is incorrect. The error is regretted.

COMMENTS (43)

fahad | 12 years ago | Reply

I must say im quite impressed with ppp blackmailing techniques first they got pmlq via moonis nicl case now they got both mqm on lock.altaf bhai will certainly not protest the commisonary system now. President will ensure both these parties will get them through senate elell

Rustam Salmeen | 12 years ago | Reply

@ Haris - It is the verbal statement of Chief of Met Police in response to an interviewer's question and not a press release. The video of the statement was shown and being shown repeatedly on TV channels. Open your eyes and do not be selective. Make your argument if you feel that the video of the statement being shown cannot be the source of a news or it is a fake video. Focus on the core story so that you can reach to a conclusion on the subject covered in this news story. do not you wish that murderers and conspirators behind them should be punished. Be with the victim and justice and do not make utterances that show that you are with the murderers and conspirators.

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