Apr 14 , 2015
News
Main suspect in Imran Farooq murder case arrested: Nisar
* Minister says the arrested suspect provided all logistical and financial support to two killers and did all banking transactions on their behalf
By Ijaz KakakhelISLAMABAD: The main accused behind the murder of Imran Farooq, the former leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has been apprehended from Karachi, Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar revealed on Monday.
Talking to reporters, the minister, though, declined to name the suspect, but said that he will be presented in a court in Karachi today (Tuesday). “Since the past one year, our intelligence agencies were making efforts to arrest the central character behind the incident,” he said.
Commenting on the matter, Nisar said Imran Farooq’s murder was not only a test case for the Scotland Yard but also for Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies. He said according to the investigation, the main suspect had provided all the logistical and financial support to the two killers and done all the banking transactions on their behalf. He said the two persons sent to UK to carry out killing of Dr Imran were poor and lacked financial means to travel abroad.
Mohsin Ali Syed and Kashif Khan Kamran were wanted by the British authorities investigating the murder.
“They went to England for the first time. Their trip to England, their visas, the courses they were enrolled in and the money to finance the visit, the thousands of pounds in fees that they paid ... the man we have caught today arranged that all,” he said. “This person has been arrested after targeted operations by our security and intelligence agencies, he added.
He said Pakistan had been cooperating with the British government in the case. Great progress was made in the investigation on the basis of information provided by Scotland Yard.
The minister said a joint investigation team (JIT) would be formed to probe the case and as this matter had international implications so the federal institutions would also be part of the investigation.
“It is not a matter of politics but it is killing of a person and the Pakistan government has been making efforts to do justice. The aim is not to take life of anybody but to bring culprits to justice,” he added.
Nisar said that the security agencies have also traced out the evidences of bank transactions between the sponsor and the killers, and the ones who received the money in England are also known to the law enforcers.
The interior minister said bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Britain would increase following the important arrest in Dr Farooq murder case. “We provided whatever information we had to the British authorities,” he said.
When asked about reports that two suspects in the murder case were in Pakistani custody and whether they would be extradited or not, the minister said that none of the government official has confirmed these reports.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk