Dr. Imran Farooq`s Murder & The Pakistani Agencies!

The Pakistani Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan reveals that the main suspect in the murder of MQM`s leader Dr Imran Farooq has been arrested in Karachi on Sunday. He stated that the arrested man was the facilitator of two alleged murders of Dr Farooq (29-year-old Mohsin Ali Syed and 34-year-old Muhammad Kashif Khan Kamran). Mr. Nisar said that a JIT would also be formed to investigate the case.

In Pakistan, it is generally assumed that the story about the alleged two killers Mohsin and Kashif came from London, but in fact, it originated from within Pakistan. It is true that Owen Bennett-Jones was, perhaps, the first man who broke the story about these men including Moazzam Ali through his documentary on BBC. In his program, Bennett-Jones also accepted that the story was based on the information he got from Pakistan saying, “The documents, obtained by News Knight from official sources in Pakistan, suggest Mohsin Ali Syed and Mohammed Kashif Khan Kamran secured UK visas on the basis of being granted admission to the London Academy of Management Sciences (LAMS), in east London.” (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-25846311)

Obviously, these were the London police and Scotland Yard which were conducting the investigation of the murder as it took place in UK. But the “information” was communicated to BBC from the (still unidentified) Pakistani authorities, which was very strange.

In addition, after the BBC`s documentary, journalists asked the Pakistani officials about the custody of these two suspects, but none of them confirmed it. The spokesperson of ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan and then ADIG Sindh Shahid Hiyat denied their arrest as well as the resulted custody. Even in the 13 April`s press conference, Pakistani Federal Interior Minister Ch. Nisar could not confirm if the two suspects had really been arrested or were in the custody.

Question is, if Pakistani agencies really do not know anything about the alleged suspects, then which were those “officials” who communicated the story of the suspects to Bennet Johnes to be aired via BBC? Secondly, if there is no one in Pakistan to come forward and publicly own the custody of those two men, then what is the credibility of the claim about Kashif and Mohsin being “suspects” in the Dr. Imran Farooq murder case?? On top of all, when there are still no sufficient and reliable evidences about these students of being even “suspects” in the crime, how can Moazzam Ali`s assisting them to go to London be termed as a crime? 

The matter of alleged arrest as well as detention of the allegedly involved two students have become so controversial that even today, if any Pakistani agency (expected to be Rizwan Akhter`s ISI) owns their custody, the officials responsible should be tried under Article 6 over hiding this information for over 4 years from the state of Pakistan, but leaking it (to Owen Bennett-Jones) outside of the country. But of course, everything is fair against MQM and Urdu speaking people in Pakistan.

Regarding the Met police/SLY, their investigators released details of Kashif and Mohsin in mid 2014, that they believe may be connected with the murder, in order to get the help from public. In their press release, the phrase, “may be connected with the murder”, shows that they are not sure of their involvement in the case. 

Furthermore, the Met police released that appeal in May, 2014, i.e., about four months after the BBC`s named those persons in its documentary aired in January 2014 (http://content.met.police.uk/News/Detectives-investigating-the-murder-of-Dr-Imran-Farooq-appeal-for-information/1400024224522/1257246745756). It shows perhaps the Met police followed the BBC report that was based on the information from Pakistan. Does this not give the impression as if some “forces” in Pakistan are deliberately trying to lead, rather, mislead the investigators of Imran Farooq murder to a specific direction. In this regard, the statement of Ch. Nisar endorses the same in which he said, “We provided whatever information we had to the British authorities. And the development in the case happened due to Pakistani intelligence”.

In contrast to all the propagation in the murder investigation, there are some very important facts about Dr. Imran Farooq which do point out towards the people who could be behind his murder in London. During 1990-91, a telephone taping device was recovered from Dr. Imran Farooq`s room at Parliament lodges in Islamabad. Needless to mention that no one can dare to install that device in the Parliament lodges except the agencies.

Then, on 19 June 1992, a military operation was launched against MQM under which the gangsters were deployed in Karachi in army to replace MQM. The army-patronized Haqiqi group forced MQM workers, leaders and elected members to work with them against Altaf Hussain. Whoever refused to do that, had to face negative consequences including torture and deaths. So for safety purposes and also in order to avoid clashes, MQM asked all its works and leaders to go underground. Dr. Imran Farooq was also included in them. Soon, not only several cases were registered against him, even head money was announced to bring him dead or alive. In fact, by announcing the head money, the state authorities provided a golden opportunity to all Imran Farooq`s political and ethnic enemies not only to kill him, but also to get monetary rewards over. Fortunately, his hiding saved him from being the victim of the agencies-patronized terrorism like Azeem Ahmed Tariq.

During his hiding, countless raids were conducted at his house due to which his parents and other family members had to leave their house in search of shelter. They were accommodated by a kind woman Shehnaz Sehgil, who was a well-known Japanese-flower-making expert. But very sadly, her house was also raided and she was badly humiliated by the army personnel just because she sheltered Dr. Imran Farooq`s family. Of course, that was not a “friendly” or “respectful” message from agencies to Dr. Imran Farooq and his family.

 Then, in 1999, already arrested man Saulat Mirza was facilitated to hold an exclusive press conference in which he claimed that, on the orders of Altaf Hussain from London, he had killed Dr. Imran Farooq and buried him in the hills of Balochistan. Pakistan Television (PTV) also showed footage of the place of his “grave”. In a way, Saulat Mirza`s “confession” gave another chance to Imran Farooq`s enemies to kill and bury him somewhere as he had already been proved as “dead” and Altaf Husain had been charged of his murder. ( http://e.jang.com.pk/03-23-2015/karachi/pic.asp?picname=1827.gif )

However in 1999, Dr. Farooq somehow managed to leave Pakistan and met Altaf Hussain at London secretariat. His meeting with Altaf Hussain in London did not only prove that there were no differences between them, but also exposed that the Pakistani agencies through Saulat Mirza`s “confession-cum-allegation” wanted to target both Dr. Imran Farooq and Altaf Hussain. Obviously, Sault Mirza`s episode in 1999 was just like a rehearsal of what happened on September 16, 2010 in London.

Taking into account these facts, it clearly appears who had been the deadly enemies of the MQM`s deceased leader. Saulat Mirza can disclose the people who compelled him in 1999 to accuse Altaf Hussain by making a purely false confession about Dr. Imran`s murder. Similarly, Ms. Shehnaz Sehgil, Imran Farooq`s father (Farooq Ahmed) and his widow (Shumaila Farooq) can reveal in detail who created life threats for Imran Farooq and why he had to leave Pakistan and seek political asylum in UK. Therefore, all those people/officials who deliberately endangered MQM`s convener several times in 90`s are now trying to hijack the investigation need be booked and thoroughly investigated in the case. They could be the people who, when failed in Pakistan, got Imran Farooq killed to blame Altaf Hussain.

By Dr. Imran Farooq for Altaf Hussain