Afghanistan connection: Pakistan widens probe into Imran Farooq’s murder

Authorities to approach Kabul for help in nabbing fourth suspect

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Friday widened the scope of the investigation into Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case, hours after a Scotland Yard team left for London after quizzing the main accused in this case, Mohsin Ali.

“We are in search of the fourth accused, Kashif, who is believed to be in Afghanistan,” a senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity.

“Kashif carried out the murder of Dr Imran Farooq. We have now taken up this issue with Kabul,” he said. Dr Farooq was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his residence in London in 2010.

The official said that Kashif – along with the two other accused, Mohsin Ali and Khalid Shamim – slipped into Afghanistan years back in an effort to dodge the intelligence agencies.

“Mohsin and Khalid Shamim were arrested two months ago in Balochistan when they were returning to the homeland but Kashif did not return,” he said.  The third accused, Moazzam Ali, was arrested in Karachi in April this year.

A member of the FIA’s joint investigation team (JIT) told The Express Tribune that Kashif is their prime target now. “Applying all sources, we are trying to catch him in Afghanistan. Our diplomats are pursuing the case,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, the three-member Scotland Yard team concluded its investigation into the case and left for London. The team is expected to submit next week its report – based on interviews with accused in Pakistan – to Richard Walton, the Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism chief, said the FIA official.

During its three-day visit to Islamabad, the Scotland Yard officials quizzed, Mohsin Ali, who, according to senior FIA officials, confessed to his involvement in this crime.

“During interrogation, Mohsin Ali confessed before the Scotland Yard team that he worked with Moazzam Ali’s company, Com-net,” an FIA official said. The Scotland Yard team, in its first visit in June this year, quizzed Moazzam Ali and Khalid Shamim.

The investigation team also met the head of the JIT, Inam Ghani, who has already submitted his preliminary report in this case to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Official said Scotland Yard investigators are also expected to meet Shumaila Imran Farooq, the widow of the slain MQM leader, and update her about developments in the case, he added.

He said Mohsin Ali also revealed before the JIT last month that he had been working for All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) and facilitated Kashif’s travel to the United Kingdom.

“The visiting team also met other officials of the FIA and interior ministry in Islamabad,” he said.

The JIT members said they will submit their report to Ministry of Interior which is expected to share it with British authorities. Earlier this week, Pakistan gave access to UK authorities to the key accused in MQM leader’s murder case – days after Nisar met British Home Secretary Theresa May in London.


Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2015.