The request of British authorities to their Pakistani counterparts for handover of two suspects involved in a high-profile murder in London in 2010 has reportedly been accepted. This report could not be verified independently because everyone is tight-lipped on the issue. If it actually happens, it would seal the fate of a don-like political leader of Pakistani origin staying in London very soon. The dramatic developments of Sunday when the said politician tried to put pressure on Pakistani government not to heed to the request, his threats for doing away with Pakistan if he was arrested etc., are closely related to this development. It seems that the authorities in London are closing in on the said politician which he has termed as a conspiracy of “international establishment” to eliminate him.
The mystery associated with the gruesome murder of Dr. Imran Farooq, an estranged senior leader of Pakistan’s ethno-political party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), is being unveiled bit by bit. Although, people knew who could have ordered his murder in London nearly three years ago, the London Metropolitan Police was generally tight-lipped about the suspects. The alleged murderers were in the custody of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies and, since MQM was in partner in the PPP government, were not inaccessible to the Met investigators. The developments in London released by media very cautiously, and without revealing the names, clearly suggested that MQM supremo, Altaf Hussain, a British national known for making fiery and threatening telephonic speeches from an Edgeware studio, was behind the murder. He was also perceived to be involved in money laundering of massive amounts. It is generally believed that money laundered consisted of extortion money collected by party goons from Karachi’s business community.
It was reported two years ago that the murders in Pakistani custody were committed by active members of Altaf’s assassin squad operating from South Africa. The squad, involved in target killing of cops, journalists and estranged workers, takes its orders directly from Altaf. Their handover to British authorities will enable the Met to close in on Altaf. He has gotten away with high-profile murders in Pakistan due to weak and corrupt political leadership but UK will be a tough government for him.
What will prove to be the proverbial last nail for MQM, is murders’ handover to Met. According to reports, British authorities have made a fresh demand to access key suspects in Dr. Imran Farooq murder case. The request was reported made at the top level and very few people were in knowledge of it because of the sensitivity of the issue. Recently, the London Metropolitan police paced up the investigations and has conducted several raids, arrested some eight suspects, questioned thousands of people and scanned through thousands of documents.
