Scotland Yard Team to conclude Imran Farooq murder investigation this week

An option of handing all three of the accused to Scotland Yard has been discussed, according to a senior official

ISLAMABAD: A Scotland Yard team quizzed a key accused in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement senior leader Imran Farooq’s murder on Wednesday, a step towards concluding the investigation in the high-profile case.

A three-member investigation team of Scotland Yard after meeting the head of joint investigation team, Inam Ghani, questioned Mohsin Ali, a key accused in Imran Farooq’s case.

“Scotland Yard team will conclude its investigation in this high profile this week in Pakistan,” a senior official of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told The Express Tribune.

The team has recorded Mohsin Ali’s statement and will meet other officials from Rangers, FIA and Ministry of Interior this week, he added.

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Pakistan gave access to UK authorities to key accused in MQM leader’s murder case days after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar met British Home Secretary Theresa May in London.

According to the official, Nisar and his counterpart discussed “an option of handing all three of the accused to Scotland Yard.”

“It is a part of our negotiations with UK as the interior minister took up the issues of MQM supremo’s anti-state speeches as well as Baloch separatists causing unrest in Karachi and Balochistan during his London visit,” he added.

The Metropolitan Police believes that their investigation could not be concluded without including Mohsin’s statement. “There is a strong possibility that the team would stay on,” an FIA official revealed.

Read: Six British investigators to begin grilling suspects in Imran Farooq murder case today

“It seems to be a reciprocal job, the London Police is also sharing information about MQM’s top leadership with us,” he claimed.

Mohsin Ali is said to be in the custody of intelligence agencies and a JIT of FIA is assisting the visiting team.

Earlier, British High Commission in Islamabad neither confirmed nor denied arrival of this team but informed officials said other members include Stewart Michael and Daniel.

The immigration staff at Benazir International Airport confirmed arrival of three British citizens who came from Dubai via flight EK-612.

In July, the Scotland Yard investigated the two other accused, Moazzam Ali and Khalid Shamim, in the MQM leader’s murder case. The visiting team in its maiden visit to Islamabad quizzed Moazzam Ali Khan who was arrested by law enforcement agencies in Karachi this year.

Read: Karachi unrest: MQM received funds, training from India, BBC

Before this development, authorities in Islamabad were indecisive whether to give access to London Police to the third accused or not. “We’ve yet to decide whether to allow the authorities to question Mohsin who is also involved in 13 cases of target killings,” a BPS-21 officer of the interior ministry had told The Express Tribune.

The government formed a JIT after revelations by the BBC that the MQM was being funded by Indian intelligence agency. It also submitted its preliminary report on Imran Farooq’s murder case to the interior ministry last month, the interior ministry officer revealed.

“This team also shared findings with London Police in July this year,” he added.