(Karachi) An anti-terrorism court observed that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain ordered killing of party member Imran Farooq.

Announcing the judgment in the murder trial of Farooq, ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand awarded the three accused, Khalid Shamim, Mohsin Ali and Moazzam Ali, to life term. The ATC also imposed a fine of Rs2 million on the three men and directed them to pay Rs1 million each to Farooq's family.

The accused were affiliated to MQM when Imran Farooq was murdered.

“In the instant case, the chain of evidence connects each and every accused who has performed a distinctive role for completing the task. It is proved that Altaf Hussian ordered the killing of Dr Imran Farooq,” stated the verdict.

“Two of his other senior party members based in London then communicated the orders to relevant persons based in Pakistan. Accused Moazzam Ali another senior member working at Nine Zero the headquarters of MQM, alongwith accused Khalid Shamim engaged accused Syed Mohsin Ali and Kashif Khan Kamran for fulfilling the job. The two executors were properly facilitated who went with a sole purpose to London for committing the murder and as per preplanned conspiracy, an innocent person was brutally murdered.”

The court also issued arrest warrants for those accused absconding in the case, including MQM founder Altaf Hussain, Iftikhar Hussain, Mohammad Anwar and Kashif Kamran.

Imran Farooq was assassinated in 2010 in London. In 2015, the FIA registered a case against Altaf Hussain for allegedly ordering the murder while nominating three other accused – Khalid Shamim, Mohsin Ali and Moazzam Ali.

However, on May 13, 2020, the suspects retracted their confessional statements before ATC judge Arjumand and recorded their fresh statements at a hearing held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The suspects decided not to present any witnesses in their defence.

Scotland Yard also helped the Pakistani government in the case that took at least 10 years to reach its conclusion.