ATC reserves verdict in Imran Farooq murder case

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) will announce its verdict in the murder trial of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq on June 18, after proceedings wrapped up in the five-year trial on Thursday.

The verdict, which was reserved on Thursday, will be announced by the court of ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand next month.

Dr Imran Farooq was stabbed to death in London’s Edgware in September 2010.

During the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Prosecutor Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed completed the final arguments. He alleged that solid evidence was available against MQM founder Altaf Hussain and Anwar Hussain to prove their involvement in Dr Farooq’s murder. He pleaded before the court that the accused should be punished in accordance with the law.

Ahmed also argued that the court may order confiscation of the movable and immovable properties of the MQM’s founder in Pakistan, to which the judge remarked that such order had already been given. After completion of final arguments, the court reserved its verdict in the matter that will be announced on June 18.

A day earlier, the three accused, Khalid Shamim, Mohsin Ali and Moazzam Ali attended the proceedings through video link from jail.

Their counsel completed arguments at their final testimony. According to Geo News, a team of Scotland Yard officers arrived in Islamabad for a week in February to facilitate the case after the UK sent the entire murder case file to Pakistan for the trial.

Last year, Pakistan’s lawyer in the UK for the case, Toby Cadman, said Britain handed “compelling evidence” to Islamabad.

The MQM leader’s wife, Shumaila Farooq, was also interviewed from London during the lengthy trial. She read out her statement on what happened on September 16, 2010, when her husband was stabbed to death outside his home in Edgware.