Imran Farooq was killed for trying to launch his own party: Scotland Yard Murtaza Ali Shah

Tuesday, September 17, 2013 From Print Edition News LONDON: Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Counter Terrorism Command detectives investigating the murder of Dr Imran Farooq have made it clear that the former MQM leader was stabbed to death because of his resolve to start his own independent political career. Three years after the killing of Dr Imran Farooq outside his home on Green Lane in Edgware, London, the police repeated its belief that Dr Farooq was killed because “he was building his independent political profile in the months before he was killed” and “this remains a key line of inquiry in this investigation”. Detectives have said that Dr Farooq may have been poised to renew his political career and they want to speak to anyone who was in contact with Dr Farooq over his political ambitions. “Police know that in July 2010, Dr Farooq set up a Facebook profile and amassed a large number of contacts through this social network,” said the police, referring to the fact that Dr Farooq was no more active in the MQM and had developed differences with the party. Several people have spoken to the police in London and some from Pakistan confirmed that Dr Imran Farooq had parted his ways with the MQM and had plans to start his own career but the police have its own conviction based on the evidence in its possession which has helped the police focus its attention on the political motivation behind Imran Farooq’s murder. A new party launched in London by former senior MQM leader Naeem Ahmed called “MQM Imran Farooq Shaheed” has also confirmed that Dr Farooq was in contact with several MQM activists to recruit them for his cause. It was soon after Dr Farooq came in the open about his ambitions that he was killed. At the time of his killing, Dr Farooq had been sidelined effectively from the MQM for over nearly three years, since early 2008. The police believes that the party leaders and activists in London and Pakistan had been told not to get in touch with Dr Farooq in any shape or form. “Detectives from the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) who are investigating his murder are committed to finding those responsible. To date they have spoken to 4,076 people, reviewed 6,350 documents and followed up 2,114 lines of inquiry in order to bring his killers to justice,” said the third anniversary appeal. Dr Farooq was only a few yards away from his wife Shumaila Imran Farooq and sons Alishan and Wejdaan when the killers struck with knives and bricks. The cause of death was registered as multiple stab wounds and blunt trauma to the head. A five and a half inch-bladed kitchen knife and a house brick used in the attack were recovered at the scene. The police appeal stressed that Dr Farooq’s killing “would have required careful planning and would have required help from other people, some of whom may have provided assistance or information unwittingly”. The police have appealed to anyone “who was asked for information about Dr Farooq and his routine, or who was asked to help buy items such as knives similar to those used in the murder, or mobile phones around the time of the attack”. Prior to his killing, believes the police, Dr Farooq was also in touch with two other London-based senior leaders of the MQM — Haji Jalal and Liaquat Qureshi – who were both killed during their private visits to Karachi. Haji Jalal, 60, was killed a year earlier on July 09, 2009 while Liaquat Qureshi was gunned down on April 29, 2011. Officers believe that two men took part in the killing. Both have been described to be in their late 20s or early 30s, stocky build, Asian looking, one of them sporting a goatee-style beard and wearing a dark coloured baseball-style cap. Detectives recently arrested a 52-year-old man, who landed at Heathrow on a flight from Canada on June 24, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. He was interviewed before being released on bail and is due to return to a west London police station later this month. The police appeal added: “Anyone who can assist should call the police incident room on +44 (0)20 7230 2717 or contact the police by email at SO15Mailbox-.DrFarooqMurder@met.police.uk (This is the correct email address). Any information provided will be dealt with sensitively by officers. Alternatively anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can call Crimestoppers, a charity independent of the police, on 0800 555111 within the UK or use the Crimestoppers untraceable online form to pass on information at http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org We understand that people may have concerns in speaking to the police and would like to offer reassurance that information will be dealt with sensitively.”