Cadman hails convictions in Imran Farooq murder case

LONDON: Pakistan’s counsel in the UK, Toby Cadman, has welcomed the convictions of Mohsin Ali, Moazzam Ali and Khalid Shamim for the murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) senior leader Dr Imran Farooq.

A day earlier, Islamabad’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) found the three men guilty of conspiring and killing Farooq, who was stabbed and bludgeoned to death in Edgware outside his home on September 16, 2010.

Speaking to The News, Cadman said the ATC judgment is very strong and it has declared British nationals as absconders in the murder case in Pakistan. He said that the judge has stated in clear terms that the individuals who were not in court during the trial should be brought before the court.

He said: “There will be consideration of request from Pakistan for extradition and if extradition is not possible then Pakistan will request for trial in this country for the alleged role they have played in this country. There has to be consideration of extradition for what the court has held to be their role in the murder that in itself is significant. There are a number of different options available. There are other individuals who have played the leading role in ordering the murder of Dr Imran Farooq. They have not been put on trial yet.”

Cadman said the judge carefully considered the evidence, primarily those provided by the UK authorities. “The development is significant. The accused have received the harshest penalties that they could, which is life imprisonment.”

Cadman said that they have not been given death sentences because the UK and Pakistan agreed through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to not apply the death sentence in this case and to ensure that the trial is fair. The fact that the UK investigators, forensic experts and witnesses appeared before the court and gave their evidence is a proof of the fairness of trial and British authorities have confirmed the trial was fair.

The lawyer said the outcome of UK-Pakistan cooperation is historic and huge. “It’s incredible that there has been this level of cooperation between Metropolitan Police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). I hope there will be greater cooperation between the two countries in eradication of all kinds of crimes.”

He says that if Pakistan decides to request extradition of the three accused from the UK, it will be hard for them to argue that they will not receive a fair trial since authorities in this country have accepted that the trial was fair in Doctor Imran Farooq’s case three received punishments after the trial while the fourth accused was sentenced in absentia.

Answering a question, Cadman said that the evidence presented in this trial before the ATC was in relation to the individuals only and it was argued that other individuals had played a leading role.

“It’s not uncommon for some of the evidence to not be presented for those individuals who were not in the court. There may be evidence that may not have been presented and it will be scrutinised going forward. If there is sufficient evidence, certainly authorities on both sides will have to look very carefully. Cadman has attended the trial in Islamabad.