Imran Farooq murder case: FIA submits evidence received from UK in court

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday submitted evidence received from the United Kingdom (UK) regarding the murder case of former MQM leader Dr. Imran Farooq in Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).

ATC Judge Shah Rukh Arjmand presided over the hearing of Imran Farooq case here, in which the FIA produced evidence including the video footage, murder weapon and related forensic reports.

FIA prosecutor informed the court that 23 witnesses will record their statements in the case. Three witnesses will appear before the court in person, while 20 others will record their testimony on video-link, FIA said.

The court ordered that three officers of Metropolitan Police London should record their statements on November 06 and adjourned hearing of the case for the date.

In previous hearing of the case, the court returned the case file to FIA by terming it ‘incomplete’.

Court had questioned, “who are the witness and who presented this evidence.” The ATC judge had also ordered the FIA to present a complete list of evidence and the witnesses in the case in the next hearing.

On January 30, the Islamabad High Court had rejected the plea of the FIA for stopping the trial in the murder case of Dr. Imran Farooq and directed the investigation agency to approach the ATC.

It is pertinent to mention here that accused Shamim had confessed that Farooq’s murder was a ‘birthday gift’ for the MQM founder while another accused Syed had stated that he took part in the crime because he was promised a position in the MQM’s London Secretariat.

Dr. Imran Farooq was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in London in September 2010.