Ten days of mourning...

As condolences pour in, MQM party leaders wish for the body of Imran Farooq to be buried in Pakistan.

KARACHI: MQM party leaders wish to have Dr Imran Farooq buried in his home country, said Senior MQM leader and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Dr Farooq Sattar on Friday.

‘It is the desire of our party leaders that the last rituals of Dr Imran are carried out in his home country,’ Dr Sattar said. He added that the position would be clear in the next 24 hours.

Talking to newsmen, Sattar said that Metropolitan Police of London and the officials of Scotland Yard were in contact with the family members of Dr Imran Farooq and investigating the case.

He said his party was in touch with British authorities in London to repatriate the dead body of slain leader Dr Imran Farooq.

He hoped that Farooq's body would be handed over to the family as soon as the initial process of investigation and postmortem was completed.

He said the MQM had received condolences from across the globe including from the government, non-government organisations, domestic political parties, intellectuals and people from all walks of life.

‘We are thankful to all those who expressed their sympathies and solidarity with us,’ he said.

MQM announces 10-day mourning

A 10-day mourning period has been announced in Karachi to condemn the killing of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader Imran Farooq.

All shops, markets, private schools and business centers in the city remained closed on Friday, while the Karachi Transportation Authority stopped all transportation. Earlier, Protestors also set fire to a bus in the Korangi area of Karachi following news of the murder.

CNG stations and petrol pumps across the city were also shut down.

People from areas across Sindh including Mir Pur Khas, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar and Shahdadpur mourned Farooq's death and demanded the immediate arrest of his killers.

Meanwhile, MQM sources said no rallies or protests have been planned as yet, but a schedule will be announced later.

The MQM Coordination Committee in a statement condemned the murder of Farooq and asked party members to show tolerance.

When MQM MPA Raza Haider was assassinated, more than 50 people had died in the violence that took place in the aftermath.