Wild conspiracy theories can acquire a rare potency in Pakistan and all manner of explanations are being traded in private. Some wonder if it was the work of a breakaway faction, shadowy spooks, rival Pashtuns or Sindhis from Karachi, Islamist militants, or even an inside job. But many are also resigned to the prospect of no answers ever emerging.
After the assassinations of its first prime minister, long-serving military ruler, Benazir Bhutto and her two brothers, Pakistan has come to expect assassins to disappear without a trace.
An MQM leader said: "We feel there may be elements of a conspiracy." Saleem Shahzad, another MQM leader, told Dunya TV that he suspected that the assassination was a reaction to statements made by party founder, Altaf Hussain.
Pakistan politician murder: have Karachi's brutal politics reached London?
Neighbours in Edgware thought Imran Farooq just worked in a pharmacy, but then he was murdered - victim of the brutal politics of Pakistan's biggest city.
By Colin Freeman, Chief Foreign Correspondent, and Rob Crilly in Karachi
Published: 7:57PM BST 18 Sep 2010
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Police at the scene in Green Lane in Edgware where Dr Imran Farooq was found with head injuries and stab wounds Photo: PA
Dr. Imran Farooq
Dr. Imran Farooq, at his wedding party in London Photo: EPA
As a man who was more than used to looking over his shoulder, Imran Farooq would no doubt have found the nondescript north London maisonette (An apartment occupying two or more floors of a larger building and often having its own entrance from outside.) the perfect bolthole.
Surrounded by quiet streets lined with apple trees, Green Court in Edgware was the very picture of suburban anonymity, the kind of place where neighbourliness typically means little more intrusive than the odd polite "hello".
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Late on Thursday afternoon, though, an area that could have been the setting for a sitcom like Terry and June became the centre of a rather grittier drama, as Mr Farooq was stabbed to death outside his home. Alerted by shouts and screams, neighbours saw him in a violent struggle with another man, who beat the 50-year-old Pakistani around the head and then knifed him repeatedly.
It was a brutal end for a man who - to his neighbours at least - seemed a respectable figure, working at a nearby pharmacy and living with his wife, Shumaila, and their two young sons Alishan, 5, and Wajdan, 3.
"None of us even knew there was a politician living here," said Bhiru Malde, 60, a neighbour, as he stood near the police cordon yesterday, from where boiler-suited forensic experts from Scotland Yard could be seen conducting finger-tip searches of nearby gardens. "This is a very quiet area, but when I came back at 6pm there were police everywhere."
The murder was, however, all too much in keeping with the other job Mr Farooq held down - as a leading figure in the London branch of Pakistan's Muttahida Quami Movement, a party with a notorious reputation even in a country steeped in political violence.
The MQM's headquarters in the capital lies just down the road on Edgware High Street, a drab, unassuming office block typical of the hundreds of bureaus maintained by foreign political parties with followings in London's myriad diaspora communities. Yet in the case of the MQM, the "international secretariat", which stands opposite a Lidl supermarket and a Turkish grocer, is no mere diplomatic outpost.
Instead, it is the very nerve centre from which the party directs its affairs in Pakistan, and in particular its stronghold in Karachi, the country's largest city, which it effectively runs. Holding court in the office nearly every day is Mr Farooq's boss and MQM's leader, Altaf Hussain, a stocky, moustachioed firebrand who effectively acts as a one-man government in exile, barking orders to minions in Karachi via mobile phone and addressing huge street rallies via televised links ups to the Edgware Road. Such is his iron grip on his party 5,000 miles away that all key meetings are held on Greenwich Meantime, keeping his Karachi-based staff up late into the night.
The kind of City hall politics that the MQM presides over in Karachi, though, make Chicago in the 1930s seem like a model of good governance.
Thousands have died in political violence there over the last three decades, as the MQM has slugged it out with other factions for control of a metropolis of 18 million that includes the country's main port and generates 50 per cent of Pakistan's tax revenues.
Officials blamed the MQM for much of the violence, and in the early 1990s, both Mr Hussain and Dr Farooq found themselves on the run on charges of murder and kidnapping, following claims that the party was running networks of torture chambers around its strongholds. By the late 1990s, though, both men had managed to claim asylum in Britain, after telling the authorities that the charges against them were politically motivated.
It is in this murky world that Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command unit is now looking for clues to Dr Farooq's murderer. While they have not ruled out the possibility that it was just a mugging gone wrong, the absence of any sign of robbery, and the eyewitness reports that his killer was a fellow Asian, indicate that it was politically motivated.
One theory is that enemies within his own party may have been responsible, another is that it was the work of the Pakistani Taliban, of which the MQM, as a secular party, is a prominent critic. Mr Hussain also recently angered the ruling Pakistan People's Party of President Asif Ali Zardari, when, in yet another televised rant from London, he said the MQM was ready to lead a "French Revolution" to mop up the chaos left by the recent devastating floods.
Detectives have so far been wary of speculating on a motive, however, aware that the outcome of the case may be politically explosive.
His killing has already sparked riots in Karachi, a powder-keg city at the best of times, with his supporters torching cars and firing guns in the air: Pakistani security officials fear that if, or when, the finger of blame is pointed at one faction or another, Karachi may erupt into all-out bloodshed.
MQM supporters in London told The Sunday Telegraph that they were "shocked" at the murder, describing Dr Farooq as a "poet and philosopher" rather than a political gangster. "We are not aware of any threat against him," said Mohammad Raza Haroon, a senior party official. "He was such a nice, gentle friendly person, and it is a huge loss. Senior members of the party have lived in Britain for many years and felt safe, even though many have been killed in Pakistan."
Others however paint a rather different picture of both Dr Farooq and the movement he helped lead. The MQM has been a streetfighting force in the country's politics ever since its formation in 1984, when Mr Hussain, who had previously worked as a taxi driver in Chicago, convened a party to represent the Muhajirs, Urdu-speaking Muslims who fled India after partition in 1947 and who had complained of ethnic discrimination from other Pakistanis.
Supporters say it has tried to shed its violent image of the 1990s, when it waged open warfare with its Pashtu-speaking rivals of the Awami National Party, and today it is proud of its record in improving life in the city's sprawling slums, but it still works through protection rackets and thuggery, according to some.
"I hate the way they operate," said one Karachi resident. "This is not the way of Islam but they say that it is the only way to get things done. They have a very slick operation."
More serious allegations, though, were made in the early 1990s when the Pakistani army launched a crackdown against escalating violence in the region.
Military officials claimed they uncovered 23 torture chambers in MQM-run offices, schools and hospitals in Karachi, where electric drills would be used on political prisoners.
Gory photographs of blood splashed walls, chains hanging from ceilings and electrical torture implements were reproduced in Pakistani national newspapers, which reported that some of the chambers were allegedly kept as rape cells.
Dr Farooq and Mr Hussain – along with 150 party workers - were named in cases brought before a special anti-terrorist court in Karachi, accusing them of murder, kidnapping, robbery and violence against political opponents.
One victim, a member of the Pakistan People's Party formerly run by the late Benazir Bhutto, told Amnesty International that he was abducted by four MQM members who then blindfolded him and beat him with leather whips and wooden sticks. "They hit me on the face and the chest, for many hours," he said.
"Before they released me on the fifth day they drilled a hole in my leg, with an electric drill. I fainted."
True, exaggeration and smears have always been part and parcel of Pakistani politics, but some believe the charges had a degree of substance. "The leadership always said they didn't use violence – or at least only in self-defence – but it seems impossible that someone like Farooq didn't know that his party had set up torture chambers," said a political commentator, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
How British asylum officials concluded that such serious allegations were pure fabrication remains unclear.
According to one well placed Pakistani source, concerns that the two would be killed or tortured if returned to Pakistan may have over-ridden doubts about whether it was appropriate for them to remain in Britain.
Several of Mr Hussain's relatives had also been murdered in the 1990s, lending credence to his claims of political persecution.
However, last week's murder was not the first time that Mr Hussain's actitivies in London have come under scrutiny. In 2007, he was accused of stirring up trouble when followers of the MQM allegedly opened fire on anti-government protesters, sparking clashes in which more than 40 people were killed.
British government officials said that because Mr Hussain had committed no crime on British soil, there was no reason to revoke his citizenship, a stance that drew bitter criticism at the time from Imran Khan, the former cricketer who now runs his own political party in Pakistan.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph last week, he said he had contacted both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown when they were prime ministers to accuse them of "double standards" by waging war on the Taliban and al Qaeda while sheltering MQM politicians accused of abuses.
"I tried to convince the British police that they had to probe this," he said. "We cannot have someone living there as head of the party when we know the party is involved in violence. Scotland Yard already had a file. The only way they are able to control Karachi is by staying in London, far from the danger."
Now, with blood being spilt in London rather than Pakistan, what was originally a relatively small Scotland Yard file on the party is likely to become much bigger. In coming days, detectives are expected to interview senior party officials in what is likely to be a complex, politically-charged and hugely costly investigation, the outcome of which could also affect British-Pakistani relations. "They have been asking us to fight the war on terror but at the same time giving these people passports," said Mr Khan. "But as long as Britain was safe, it didn't seem to matter."
Additional reporting by Nick Meo in Edgware
========
He kept to a straightforward routine and after observing him for a few days one could tell where he would be at a particular time, one of his party colleagues told The Guardian.
“If someone took the time to watch him they would know what time he came home every night. It would be very straightforward,” said Mohammad Anwar, who worked with Dr Farooq as member of the party’s central coordination committee.
Trained as a doctor, Mr Farooq worked in a pharmacy near his flat, and was attacked as he returned home in the afternoon.
Mr Anwar said it could be a political murder. “I am wary of speculating too much, and the police have told us nothing, but there is no reason to indicate that this was a robbery or mugging,” he told the daily at the MQM’s headquarters a few hundred metres from the crime scene.
“It could be a signal to Mr Hussain, to weaken resistance. Whoever did it could be telling him -- and all of us -- ‘If we can reach him we can reach you’.”
Neighbours in Dr Farooq’s street said the alarm was raised around 5.30pm on Thursday when a woman saw what she believed was a fight between two Asian men on communal ground below her flat. “She saw him being knocked on the head a couple of times. She heard screams and she saw someone beating him,” said Sam Igbi, who lives nearby. “She said he struggled and then the guy stabbed him.”
=========
Was the Taliban behind attack on Pakistani politician stabbed to death outside his London home?
By Stephen Wright and Nick Fagge
Last updated at 10:09 PM on 17th September 2010
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* Add to My Stories
The Taliban may have ordered the brutal murder of an exiled Pakistani politician on the streets of London, it was feared last night.
The theory emerged as Scotland Yard' s Counter Terrorism Command took charge of the investigation into the murder of Dr Imran Farooq.
Dr Farooq, a founding member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was stabbed and beaten to death outside his North London home late on Thursday afternoon.
Victim: Dr Farooq on his wedding day during 2004. Mr Farooq,who was a leading member of the Pakistan's MQM (Muttahida Quami Movement) party, was ambushed in the street and stabbed to death last night
It is understood detectives are hunting a lone Asian man in connection with the attack, which was witnessed by several people.
Initially, the murder – in broad daylight – appeared to be a clumsy attack carried out by someone with a personal grudge.
But the possibility that Dr Farooq, 50, was the victim of a political assassination appeared to gather credence after MQM members in London claimed the Taliban had issued a fatwa against party officials for their staunch opposition to Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan.
Gangs torched vehicles and a shop in Karachi, where gas stations, schools and markets were closed and public transport halted yesterday as news of Dr Farooq's death spread.
Scotland Yard refused to speculate on possible motives for the killing in a quiet suburban road in Edgware, insisting officers were keeping an open mind.
Behind their scenes there is huge nervousness about the case and the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding it.
Enlarge Pakistani paramilitary soldiers patrol the area around the a burnt-out mini passenger bus torched by angry protesters
Pakistani paramilitary soldiers patrol the area around the a burnt-out mini passenger bus torched by protesters enraged by the death of Dr Imran Farooq
Enlarge A Pakistani firefighter puts out a fire started by protesters in Karachi. The port is braced for possible violence as news of the politician's death spread
A firefighter puts out a blaze started by protesters in Karachi. The port is braced for more violence as news of the politician's death spread
Enlarge Police at the scene in North London where Dr Imran Farooq was found with head injuries and stab wounds
Police officers gather outside the North London where Pakistani politician Dr Farooq was murdered
Senior officers are wary of the repercussions of speculating publicly about the murder, especially after the wave of riots and demonstrations in Pakistan.
The Yard's decision to take the investigation from the Murder Squad and hand it to the SO15 Counter Terrorism Command increased speculation that Dr Farooq was targeted by the Taliban or one of its supporters.
Senior officers are liaising closely with officials at the Foreign Office, who in turn are briefing Pakistani Government representatives in London.
A security source said: 'Clearly the victim's background and political affiliations are going to be investigated. The possibility that the Taliban ordered the killing will be a line of inquiry.
Farooq Ahmed, right, the father of the murdered politician, leaves his home today in the Pakistani port
Farooq Ahmed, right, the father of the murdered politician, leaves his home today in the Pakistani port
Enlarge Reflection: Supporters and relatives read the Koran as they visit the Karachi family house of Dr Farooq
Reflection: Supporters and relatives read the Koran as they visit the Karachi family house of Dr Farooq
Enlarge Self-exiled Pakistani leader and party head of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain, seated, is comforted by party officials as he prays in London, for Imran Farooq after his murder
Self-exiled Pakistani leader and MQM party head Altaf Hussain, seated, is comforted by party officials as he prays, in London, for Dr Farooq
'But there is always a danger of jumping to conclusions and it would be wrong to commit to any particular theory at this stage.'
As detectives scoured the streets around Edgware for clues, residents living close to the father-of-two told of their shock at his brutal murder.
Philippa Hamilton, 51, a recruitment worker, said: 'This sort of thing has never happened here before. It's a quiet, leafy road. There are lots of families. It's a real shock.'
Property developer Sam Igbo said a neighbour told him she watched the fight from the window.
Police at the scene in Green Lane, Edgware, north London, where Dr Imran Farooq was found with head injuries and stab wounds
Detectives at the murder scene last night. One local said: 'I have a friend who lives there. His mum heard screaming from outside, round the back, and when the neighbours came out they saw him on the floor'
Enlarge farooq
He said: 'The woman who saw it lives in the same block of flats. She saw him being knocked on the head a couple of times.
'She heard screams and she saw someone beating him. She said he struggled and then the guy stabbed him.'
Another neighbour Gary Kramer, 42, added: 'We came outside to find out what was going on. Lots of neighbours came outside.
'One of the neighbours said she had heard a man scream. She came down the stairs. She was the one who found him.'
Dr Farooq fled Pakistan in 1999 and was granted asylum in Britain after a price was put on his head 'dead or alive'.
MQM member Raze Harpoon said: 'The main reason he came to live in London was to seek asylum.
The threat was there and he was very much aware of it. Nobody could really have thought that this act of violence could happen in London.'
But last year the Taliban sent a DVD to the party threatening death to the leaders if they continued to oppose them. Dr Farooq leaves his wife Shumaila and sons Alisha, five, and Zeesham, three.
DR FAROOQ'S ROLE IN PAKISTANI POLITICS
dr imran farooq
Farooq was a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, one of Pakistan's major parties and the largest in the coalition governing Karachi.
The MQM is also an important member of the federal government in Islamabad. The killing could have implications for national political stability, especially if the MQM accuses its rivals of being involved.
Local media reports said some vehicles were torched and shots fired late last night in the city of more than 16million, but police said today there had been no violence.
The MQM is accused by critics and independent observers of being heavily involved in illegal activities and gangsterism in the city. Hundreds of its supporters have been killed over the last 20 years, including top leaders, in gang warfare in Karachi, including dozens this year alone.
The MQM's leader Altaf Hussain lives in self-imposed exile in London after leaving in 1992 amid an army operation against the party, which the generals had accused of criminal activities. According to the MQM's website, Farooq left Pakistan the same year. Neither man returned to Pakistan since.
Hussain regularly addresses large gatherings in Karachi via telephone link. In recent weeks, he appeared to suggest that the country's army should rise up against the civilian government, angering his party's federal coalition partners, including the ruling Pakistan People's Party of President Asif Ali Zardari.
The MQM represents mainly descendants of Urdu-speaking migrants from India who settled in Pakistan when it was created in 1947.
It has spoken out against the Taliban and other religious extremists, but rivals accuse the MQM of doing this mostly because of its history of bias against Pashtuns - the major ethnic group that make up the Taliban. More than four million Pashtuns live in Karachi, and the MQM fears their rising influence.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312761/Was-Taliban-blame-Pakistani-politician-Imran-Farooqs-murder.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0zpAseMEE
=================
Rumours sweep Karachi on reasons for Farooq's murder
Police are still investigating the motive behind Imran Farooq's murder, but Pakistan's feverish political scene has already begun to find meaning in the killing of a prominent political figure in London.
by Rob Crilly in Islamabad
Published: 9:34AM BST 17 Sep 2010
Pakistani Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Secretary-General Imran Farooq Photo: AFP
Dr Farooq was found bleeding to death on Thursday night, just as his colleagues in the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) were preparing to celebrate the birthday of its leader.
Farooq Sattar, the party's leader in Pakistan, said it was dangerous to speculate about motive, but told The Daily Telegraph: "The date looks like it was selected by design".
While detectives in London are investigating whether a mugger was to blame, the answer may lie in the political maelstrom of Pakistan's megacity of Karachi, where ethnic violence and targeted killings are commonplace.
A political dimension could also have national repercussions as the MQM is a major partner in a governing coalition that has stumbled from crisis to crisis.
"We don't know who could have done it but if it turns out to be an extension of the conflict in Karachi then we have a very serious situation," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, a Pakistani political analyst.
The city was wracked by clashes between rival ethnic-based political factions for much of the 1990s.
This year has seen hundreds more killings. August was a particularly bloody month in Karachi, home to about 18m people. Some 165 people were killed many of them members of Farooq's MQM or their bitter rivals for control of the city, the Awami National Party (ANP).
The MQM draws its support from the city's Urdu speaking population that arrived from India after partition in 1947. However it fears its control of Karachi is under threat from Pashtu-speaking arrivals from north-western Pakistan, who back the ANP.
So far though their bloody feud has been confined to the city and Dr Rizvi said it seemed unlikely that the conflict had been exported to London.
"That has never happened before," he said.
Another theory is that the killing is related to charges levelled against Dr Farooq in the 1990s and other senior MQM figures that they incited murder and were responsible for kidnapping and torture. However, charges against leaders who stayed in Pakistan have been formally dropped in some cases or quietly forgotten.
Whatever the motive, the fall-out could have a huge impact on Pakistan, which is still coming to terms with democracy a little more than two years after the restoration of civilian rule.
Political leaders fear the killing could lead to a fresh wave of bloodshed in Karachi or even the collapse of the government.
Last month Altaf Hussain, the London-based leader of the MQM, called for a return to martial rule to help the country deal with devastating floods. Any political motivation to the killing could prompt him to order his parliamentarians out of the governing coalition, said Javed Siddiq, Islamabad editor of the Urdu Nawa-i-Waqt newspaper.
"At the very least it will make Altaf Hussain wonder whether London – seen as a haven from Pakistani political unrest – is really all that safe for him," he added.
=====================
Karachi shuts down after politician killed in London
17 Sep 2010 05:04:28 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Stabbing victim was on the run, denied charges against him
* Killing could trigger political violence
(Releads with Karachi shut down, changes dateline)
By Faisal Aziz
KARACHI, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Pakistan's biggest city Karachi shut down on Friday after a senior politician belonging to the city's dominant Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was stabbed to death in London.
Imran Farooq, a founding member of the MQM party, the most influential in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi, was killed on Thursday but it was not clear if it was politically motivated.
Farooq, inactive in politics for about two years, claimed asylum in Britain 11 years ago after more than seven years on the run from Pakistani police who accused him of involvement in murder and other serious crimes. He denied the charges.
Even though he is not an influential MQM figure, the killing could trigger more ethnic and political violence in Karachi.
Most shops and schools were closed and no public transport was available after the MQM announced 10 days of mourning. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For more Pakistan stories, click
[nAFPAK] or http://link.reuters.com/kac58m
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A few vehicles were torched, police said.
"We are confident that the culprit will be arrested and will be given exemplary punishment," Farooq Sattar, a senior member of the MQM and a minister in the government of President Asif Ali Zardari, told reporters in Karachi.
Sattar refused to speculate on the motives behind the killing, saying they were awaiting results of British investigations.
Up to 100 people were killed and hundreds wounded in several days of clashes in Karachi last month after MQM member Raza Haider, who was a Shi'ite Muslim, was gunned down along with his bodyguard while attending a funeral.
The government blamed the Taliban and the banned Sunni Muslim militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for the killing of the parliamentarian.
Karachi has seen hundreds of targeted killings this year.
Farooq was one of several senior members of the MQM who have taken refuge in London. The party's top leader, Altaf Hussain, has lived in self-exile in the British capital since 1992.
The party represents the descendants of Urdu-speaking migrants from India who settled in Pakistan after the partition of the subcontinent at the end of British rule in 1947.
Its main rivals for power in Karachi are ethnic Pashtun politicians.
MQM party workers were involved in bloody factional clashes and battles with the security forces in Karachi in the 1990s.
The chance of Farooq's death sparking factional violence in Karachi would appear to depend on whether British police establish any link to the MQM's rivals in Pakistan.
The MQM is a member of Pakistan's ruling coalition led by President Zardari's party. (Additional reporting by Zeeshan Haider in ISLAMABAD and Karolina Tagaris in LONDON; Editing by Michael Georgy) (For more Reuters coverage of Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/places/pakistan)
====================
An exiled Pakistani politician has been found murdered outside his North London home.
Imran Farooq, 50, was ambushed in the street and stabbed to death last night.
Neighbours said they heard shouting and emerged from their block of flats to find the politician bleeding on the ground.
One local said: ‘I have a friend who lives there. His mum heard screaming from outside, round the back, and when the neighbours came out they saw him on the floor.
‘They said there had been an altercation.A vehement quarrel.
They called an ambulance but they took too long.
‘There was a helicopter but it couldn’t find anywhere to land. So then they had to call an ambulance.’
Sources said officers from Scotland Yard’s murder squad are not sure whether Dr Farooq knew his killer. Forensics officers are scouring the scene of the crime in Edgware.
Dr Farooq was a founding member of MQM (Muttahida Quami Movement), the dominant party in Karachi and the third largest in the country.
According to reports on the MQM website, he applied for political asylum in the UK in 1999 after a bounty was put on his head.
Dr Farooq said he was wanted by Pakistani authorities for criminal and terrorist activities – charges he insisted were politically motivated.
When he moved to London he said he was wanted ‘dead or alive’.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312761/Pakistani-politician-Imran-Farooq-stabbed-death-outside-London-home.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0zloe667q
===================
Senior Pakistani politician killed in Britain
17 Sep 2010 02:43:18 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds background)
LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Pakistani politician Imran Farooq, a leader of the MQM party influential in Pakistan's biggest city, was stabbed to death in London on Thursday but it was not clear if his killing was a result of political rivalry.
"We are awaiting details and for police investigation," Faisal Subvaari, a senior member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement -- the dominant political party in Karachi, told Reuters.
Farooq, a founding member of MQM, claimed asylum in Britain 11 years ago after more than seven years on the run from Pakistani police who accused him of involvement in murder and other serious crimes. He denied the charges.
Forty-five people were killed and hundreds were wounded in clashes in Karachi last month after MQM member Raza Haider was gunned down along with his bodyguard while attending a funeral.
The government blamed the Taliban and the banned militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for the killing of the parliamentarian.
A British police spokesman did not confirm Farooq's identity but said a 50-year-old man had suffered multiple head and stab wounds and was confirmed dead at the scene.
No arrests had been made, the spokesman said.
Farooq was one of several senior members of the MQM who have taken refuge in London. The party's top leader, Altaf Hussain, has lived in self-exile in the British capital since 1992.
The party represents the descendants of Urdu-speaking migrants from India who settled in Pakistan after the partition of the subcontinent at the end of British rule in 1947.
It's main rivals for power in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, are ethnic Pashtun politicians.
MQM party workers were involved in bloody factional clashes and battles with the security forces in Karachi in the 1990s.
The chance of Farooq's death sparking factional violence in Karachi would appear to depend on whether British police establish any link to the MQM's rivals in Pakistan.
The MQM is a member of Pakistan's ruling coalition led by President Asif Ali Zardari's party. (Reporting by Karolina Tagaris in London and Zeeshan Haider in Islamabad; Editing by Alex Richardson)
==============
Imran Farooq murdered outside London home
Prominent Pakistani politician found with head injuries and stab wounds in north London
Imran Farooq death Police at the scene in Green Lane, Edgware, north London, where Dr Imran Farooq - a leading member of the MQM - was found with head injuries and stab wounds. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA
A prominent Pakistani politician has been murdered outside his home in London.
Dr Imran Farooq, a senior member of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), was found with head injuries and stab wounds in north London at 5.30pm yesterday.
Police said they were called to reports of a serious assault in Green Lane, Edgware, north London.
A Metropolitan police spokesman said: "When officers arrived they found an Asian male, aged 50, suffering from multiple stab wounds and head injuries.
"He was treated by paramedics at the scene but was pronounced dead at 18.37." No arrests have been in connection with the incident, he added.
The MQM said Farooq, who was one of the founding members of the party, had been living in exile in London since 1992. According to reports on the MQM website from 1999, he sought political asylum in the UK after a bounty was put on his head.
Farooq said he was implicated on a range of charges including criminal and terrorist activities but insisted the allegations were politically motivated.
He claimed in November 1992 that he was wanted "dead or alive". "[This gave] licence and impunity to every individual in Pakistan to assassinate me," he said.
Farooq, who was secretary general of the MQM, said he spent more than seven years in hiding in Karachi, southern Pakistan.
He said: "It was impossible for me to remain in Pakistan due to the continued threat on my life and liberty."
The MQM is the fourth largest political party of Pakistan, and the dominant party in the country's largest city, Karachi. It was founded in 1984 by Altaf Hussain, a former Chicago cab driver, and won broad support among the "mohajirs" – Muslims who fled India after partition in 1947.
The party prided itself on its well-oiled machine and its secular, liberal outlook. But British police sources have said it was also linked to extortion, gun smuggling and South African crime networks.
====================
MQM's weak reaction WHY!!Altaf's Crocodile Tears
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:15 PM on 16th September 2010
Imran Farooq
Imran Farooq, the Secretary General of MQM, pictured in 1999 in London when he announced his escape from Pakistan after seven years in hiding
Pakistani politician has been stabbed to death outside his London home.
Imran Farooq was a leading member of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Party, one of the largest political parties in Pakistan.
Police said they were called to reports of a serious assault in Green Lane, Edgware, north London.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'When officers arrived they found an Asian male, aged 50, suffering from multiple stab wounds and head injuries.
'He was treated by paramedics at the scene but was pronounced dead at 18.37.
'The next of kin have been informed.'
He said no arrests have been in connection with the incident.
According to reports from 1999, Mr Farooq claimed asylum in the UK after years on the run as one of Pakistan's most-wanted fugitives.
Sky News reported that he was wanted on a range of charges including murder but insisted the claims were politically motivated.
In Pakistan, he had served as Convenor of the Coordination Committee.
===================
Imran Farooq stabbed to death
Convener of MQM Rabita committee killed in London; 10-day mourning announced
What was supposed to be the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s most celebrated day, turned out to be a day of shock and mourning.
Senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi (MQM) Movement, and Convener of the party’s Rabita Committee, Dr Imran Farooq was murdered in a knife attack in the Edgware Road area of London late on Thursday night.
The details of the incident were not immediately clear – he was reportedly taken in injured condition to the hospital, where doctors confirmed his death. Reports suggested that he was attacked while entering his apartment building in London, and that the incident could have been an attempted mugging (An assault upon a person especially with the intent to rob). MQM sources said that they are in touch with the London police and are still gathering details.
An emergency sitting of the MQM Rabita Committee had been called late in the night simultaneously in London in Karachi, following which senior leaders of the MQM, including Farooq Sattar, visited Imran Farooq’s residence in Karachi to express solidarity and comfort his family. Emotional scenes were witnessed at the slain leader’s house, with his parents and party associates unwilling to control their grief. Doctor Imran Farooq was also the only person to hold the post of Convener of the MQM Rabita Committee since the party’s inception.
All celebrations for MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s birthday, which were already under way, were cancelled. MQM activists that had gathered at the party headquarters, Nine-Zero, were asked to return home.
Farooq was a pioneering leader of the MQM, and had been a part of it since it was a student body by the name of the All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation (APSMO). He was MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s closest confidant, and handled the party’s affairs in the country after Hussain went into exile, as well as during the 1992 operation by security forces in Karachi against the MQM. It was at this time that Dr Imran Farooq also went into hiding to resurface in London in 1999, where he had been residing since. He married in 2004.
According to reports, the body will be brought back to Karachi for burial.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2010.
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Pakistani political figure murdered
http://www.offalyexpress.ie/latest-national-news/Pakistani-political-figure-murdered.6536590.jp
Dr Imran Farooq was found with head injuries and stab wounds in north London
Published Date: 17 September 2010
A prominent Pakistani politician has been murdered in London.
Dr Imran Farooq - a leading member of the MQM (Muttahida Quami Movement) party - was found with head injuries and stab wounds outside his home in north London at 5.30pm on Thursday.
Police said they were called to reports of a serious assault in Green Lane, Edgware, north London.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "When officers arrived they found an Asian male, aged 50, suffering from multiple stab wounds and head injuries. He was treated by paramedics at the scene but was pronounced dead at 18.37. The next of kin have been informed."
He added that there had been no arrests.
According to reports on the MQM website from 1999, Dr Farooq sought political asylum in the UK after a contract was taken out on his life.
He claimed allegations of criminal and terrorist activities against him were false and politically motivated.
In November 1992 Dr Farooq said he was wanted "dead or alive". "(This gave) license and impunity to every individual in Pakistan to assassinate me," he said.
Dr Farooq, who was Secretary General of the party at the time, said he spent more than seven years in hiding in Karachi, southern Pakistan.
He added: "It was impossible for me to remain in Pakistan due to the continued threat on my life and liberty."
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ایم کیو ایم کے ایک رہنما لندن میں قتل
مہاجر قومی موومنٹ کے سینئر رہنما عمران فاروق کافی برسوں سے لندن میں مقیم تھے
مہاجر قومی موومنٹ یعنی ایم کیو ایم کے ایک سینئررہنما ڈاکٹر عمران فاورق کو لندن کے علاقے ’مل ہل‘ میں ان کے گھر نے قریب قتل کردیا گیا ہے۔
پاکستان کے ذرائع ابلاغ اور نجی ٹیلی وثنز کے مطابق ان پر حملہ برطانوی وقت شام ساڑھے چھ اور پاکستانی وقت کے مطابق رات ساڑھے گیارہ بجے کیا گیا۔
حملہ آور نے ان پر چاقو سے حملہ کیا انہیں سینے اور پیٹ پر زخم آئے۔
انہیں فوری طور پر اسپتال منتقل کیا گیا تاہم وہ جانبر نہ ہوسکے۔ پولیس نے ان کی رہائش گاہ کو گھیرے میں لے رکھا ہے اور تفتیش کا آغاز کردیا گیا ہے
یہ بھی اطلاعات ہیں کہ عمران فاروق شام کے وقت چہل قدمی کرنے پارک میں گئے تھے کہ انہی کے گارڈنے عمران فاروق پر حملہ کردیا۔
ڈاکٹر عمران فاروق کو ایم کیو ایم کے رہنما الطاف حسین کے قریبی ساتھیوں اور پارٹی کے بانی رہنماؤں میں سے تھے۔ وہ دو مرتبہ اسمبلی کے رکن بھی منتخب ہوچکے تھے۔
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Over 3,000 security personnel on high alert today
Security personnel have been deployed in various areas of Karachi. PHOTO: FILE/AFP
KARACHI: More than 3,000 police and Rangers personnel will be on high alert today to ensure foolproof security for the arrival of Dr Imran Farooq’s body from London. The body is expected to arrive around 9 am.
The law-enforcement personnel will be deployed mainly on the route from the airport to Azizabad, where the slain Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader will be buried.
Policemen, who will stand guard from Jinnah International Airport to Moti Mahal in Gulshan-e-Iqbal will be working under DIG East while those deployed between Moti Mahal and Azizabad will be led by DIG West, CCPO Karachi Fayyaz Leghari told Express News. All routes leading to the graveyard from the airport will also be checked by the Bomb Disposal Squad.
In order to avoid any untoward incidents, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has also imposed Section 144, a ban on carrying arms, for 48 hours. The ban is scheduled to come into force at the stroke of midnight on Friday.
Malik also held a meeting at the National Crisis Management Cell to finalise security arrangements. It has been decided that Dr Farooq’s body will be taken to Jinnah Grounds in a helicopter. After the namaz-e-janaza, the burial will take place at the Azizabad graveyard. Malik also held a meeting with Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad at Governor House to inform him of the security arrangements.
Meanwhile, Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed is reported to have declared emergency in all government hospitals in the city. The employees of all hospitals will remain on alert till midnight on Sunday.
Alternate routes
Capital City Traffic Police Karachi announced on Friday the following alternate routes.
Road users from Liaquatabad to Sohrab Goth are requested to go through Nazimabad No. 4, Board Office, 5-Star Chowrangi and Nagan Chowrangi. From Liaquatabad No. 10, road users can take a right towards Civic Centre to reach their destinations.
People from Sohrab Goth to Aisha Manzil and Liaquatabad No. 10 can proceed via Sohrab Goth. Take a left turn at the overhead bridge towards Nagan Chowrangi, Sher Shah Suri Road and then take another left turn to Shah Waliullah Road, Fazal Mill and Gulshan-e-Iqbal to reach their destinations.
Additional input by APP/PPI/Online.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2010.
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Imran Farooq's body arrives in Karachi
Screen capture of crowds waiting at Jinnah ground to participate in Dr Imran Farooq's funeral prayers.
Screen capture of crowds waiting at Jinnah ground to participate in Dr Imran Farooq's funeral prayers.
KARACHI: The body of slain MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq arrived in Karachi early Saturday morning and was subsequently shifted to Jinnah ground amidst stringent security, where the funeral prayers will be held .
The MQM leader will be laid to rest in the Shuhda graveyard. The MQM leadership is expecting 100,000 to 200,000 people to gather for Dr Farooq’s funeral prayers, according to Express 24/7 correspondent Masror Hausen. Speaking to the media, MQM leader, Haider Abbas Rizvi said that these will be the largest funeral prayers in the history of Pakistan.
The body was driven from the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport escorted by a heavy contingent of police and rangers, accompanied by prominent leaders.
According to Express 24/7 correspondent, Shehryar Mirza, around 50-70 police mobiles accompanied the body from the airport. Sindh Governor Ishratul-Ibad, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and top MQM leaders were present at the Karachi airport to receive Dr Farooq’s body.
Security has been beefed up in Karachi with more than 3,000 security personnel deployed in the city. The government had imposed Section 144, a ban on carrying arms, for 48 hours. The ban came into force at the stroke of midnight on Friday.
Tensions prevailed in the city ahead of the arrival of Dr Farooq’s body. Sporadic firing was reported in some areas while unknown persons set fire to a motorcycle in North Karachi. A minibus was also torched near Baldia town police headquarters.
Capital City Traffic Police Karachi on Friday announced alternate routes following the security arrangements in the city. All business activity has been paralysed in the city and educational institutions have also shut down. Public transport has been halted in the city and traffic on the roads is very thin.
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Dr Imran Farooq 'followed' in Britain before murderBy AFP
Published: March 16, 2011
Detectives revealed that he was killed with two kitchen knives sold in discount stores and online.
LONDON: British police on Wednesday released new images of Pakistani politician Imran Farooq just before he was stabbed to death in London, and said he may have been followed before the attack.
Farooq, a founding member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), died from stab wounds and head injuries after attackers pounced on him as he was returning from work on September 16.
Detectives revealed that he was killed with two kitchen knives sold in discount stores and online and a house brick may also have been used in the attack.
CCTV footage of his final hours, released by police, includes images of him at an underground train station as he travelled to work on the morning of his death.
Police believe the attack may have been carried out by up to four Asian men who had been in vehicles or on foot near Farooq’s home in north London at various times of the day.
One suspect vehicle was a silver seven-seater people-carrier with green minicab stickers on the window.
Police also want to trace the rider of a dark-coloured moped or scooter seen near the politician’s home.said a Scotland Yard spokesman.
“We retain an open mind as to a motive,”
A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder but was freed on bail in December and bailed to return to a police station this month.
Investigators are also hunting two men of Asian appearance seen in the area of the murder and have released a computer image of one of them.
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9 killed, 16 injured in separate incidents in Karachi
Published: July 5, 2011
Two armed groups started firing in Essa Colony near Hassan Square, killing two men Khayal Muhammad and Kareem. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN
KARACHI: Firing in different areas of Karachi claimed nine lives and injured 16 people, Express News reported Tuesday.
The situation in Qasba colony is extremely tense after six people were killed and 16 were injured in shooting incidents.
Unidentified men started firing near Qasba Morr which killed and injured two people. The bodies were moved to Abbasi Shaheed hospital.
Two armed groups clashed and started firing in Essa Colony near Hassan Square, killing two men – Khayal Muhammad and Kareem – whose bodies were taken to Liaquat National Hospital.
The firing session caused an uproar in the area and shops were closed immediately after the clash started. Police in the area are trying to maintain law and order, while traffic has resumed.
Two other groups started firing near Sher Shah scrap market as a result of which, one person died and six were injured.
Market activities in the area have not yet regained normalcy.
HRCP report indicates rise in killings this year
The Sindh chapter of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Tuesday expressed grave concerns over deteriorating law and order in Karachi, particularly the rising trend of target killings.
Statistics compiled by the HRCP Karachi chapter shows that a total of 1138 people have been killed in the city during the first half of 2011, with 490 of them falling prey to targeted killings on different grounds including political, sectarian and ethnic basis.
“Karachi has been under the influence of political parties for the past several months and continuous surge in killings in the city reflects the government’s inefficiency to cope with the mounting threat of insecurity,” said Zohra Yusuf, Chairperson HRCP while sharing statistics during the press briefing at their office.
For appeasing the ruling coalition partners, she noted, the government had failed to take any decisive action against culprits causing unrest in the city.
Of the 490 victims of target killings, 150 were killed apparently for their association with various political, religious and or nationalist parties, 56 for their ethnic background and eight on sectarian grounds.
According to the HRCP report, as many as 65 women were killed during first six months of this year – 24 of them were killed by relatives, 26 by unidentified culprits, four were set on fire, three killed on railway tracks, 2 each killed by robbers and Lyari gangsters, three on the pretext of Karo-Kari, while one woman was killed by police. Meanwhile 37 men lost their lives in the ongoing Lyari gang war this year.
The report listed 56 ethnic killings which were reported this year. Of those targeted, 51 of the victims were male, while one female and four children were killed.
The figure shows that 250 people with no political affiliation were also killed in Karachi this year while 139 killings were reported during the corresponding period of last year. This indicated a rise of 179% in the killings this year.
The report detailed names of parties (political, religious, nationalist and banned organizations) or groups and the number of their activists assassinated during the first six months of 2011.
It said 77 target killing victims belonged to Muttahida Qaumi Movement; 26 to Pakistan People`s Party; 29 to Awami National Party; 16 to Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi; 7 to Sunni Tehreek; 9 to Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat; two to Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam; one to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N); one to Jamaat-i-Islami (JI); one each to PML-Functional, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, and Punjabi-Pakhtun Ittehad and four to Sipah-e-Sahaba (banned).
During the first six months of 2010, the figures were comparatively low as MQM-H had their 34 activists killed; MQM 22; PPP 11; PPP-S 2; Punjabi Front 1; ANP 16; Sunni Tehreek 4; PML-N 1; PML-Quaid-i-Azam 1; PML-F 1; JI 3; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam 2; JSQM 2; PPI 1; Sipah-i-Sahaba (banned) 3; and Tehreek-i-Taliban (banned) 1.
According to HRCP data, 113 people were killed on personal enmity last year while this year the figure mounted to 123.
Forty-one policemen were killed during the first six months this year, while 32 policemen had been gunned down last year.
In bomb blasts, 41 men were killed this year and 27 people between January and June 2010.
Stray bullets claimed 8 lives this year as compared to 19 last year.
Thirty-four people were killed in police encounters this year, three men died in jails, while four men were bumped off by police this year. Four persons died in jails between January and June 2011 while nine prisoners had died last year.
Total 30 children were killed in different incidents this year so far. Thirty-two bodies were found, with three of them identified as drug addicts.
Zohra identified Lyari and Orangi as the worst affected areas in Karachi and said police officials seemed helpless in reducing the crime ratio.
She raised doubts over statements given by Interior Minister Rehman Malik wherein he had claimed the menace of killings in Karachi would soon come to a halt. “It is an unrealistic claim in the present circumstances,” she opined.
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Published: July 6, 2011
A special team is overseeing all officials, more suspensions and transfers to follow.
KARACHI:
The death toll from target killings in Karachi rose to 21 on Wednesday while 25 people were injured in various incidents of violence in the metropolitan city.
Five more bullet ridden bodies were found dumped in a mini bus in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area.
One body was recovered from Khadda market which also had bullet wounds.
The bodies have not yet been identified.
Yesterday, 11 people were gunned down in Orangi while one in Shershah, and two in the Baldia and Korangi areas of Karachi.
Orangi has been the worst hit area by violence where eight people were shot dead near Qasba Morr and over a dozen were injured.
Unidentifed men opened fire at a passenger bus in the same area which resulted in death of three people and injuring six others.
Qasba colony is still tense as firing still continues.
Another person was killed in a clash between two groups in Shershah Scrape market while six others were injured.
Two beheaded bodies were found from Baldia and Korangi areas.
Updated from print edition (below)
From Hassan Square to Orangi, the bodies pile up
The city’s hottest flashpoint, Orangi Town, flared up again on Tuesday — 10 people were shot dead and nearly 24 others were wounded.
The chief of police said that double-sawari or pillion riding would be banned. The killings are in part perpetrated in drive-by shootings.
Firing broke out shortly after men opened fire at the Awami National Party’s (ANP) Rahim Khan Swati in Qasba Colony. A spokesperson said that Swati was shot at least five times and was taken to a private hospital. Doctors say he is stable.
Orangi residents claim that dozens of armed men took up positions at the hilltops in the surrounding areas and began shooting at everyone in sight. “It’s better for us to sleep on the streets than be killed by these animals,” said a resident. “There are fewer target killings here [Orangi] and more indiscriminate firing that leaves innocent people dead.”
The indiscriminate firing left over a dozen people wounded and four of them succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital. The rest were taken to Qatar, Abbasi Shaheed and Jinnah and Civil hospitals.
A little later, a man identified as Javed was killed in Qasba Colony No. 1.5 within the limits of the Pirabad police. An attack on a bus of route No. 60 in the same area left Gul Khan and an unidentified man dead and Tanvir, Hakim and Ismail injured.
Hina Bakery at Qalandria Chowk, Orangi Town, was also targeted, an unidentified man was shot dead and at least two others were injured. Zulfiqar Pirzada, a private television channel reporter was also shot and injured and was taken to Qatar Hospital.
Roads linking Orangi Town such as Katti Pahari, Banaras and Qasba Colony were blocked by men as were other entry and exit routes.
Orangi SP Khurram Waris told The Express Tribune that six people were killed and about 10 were injured. He claimed to have apprehended two suspects each from the ANP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and said more arrests were under way.
“It’s nothing. There is nothing to worry about,” he said complacently when he was asked about the situation. “It’s just an [ethno-linguistic] scuffle and the people who died are also [from the two ethno-linguistic groups]. A few are affiliated with political parties.”
Qasba Colony was where the violence broke out and was affected the most, he said.
He refused assistance from other town police, claiming that the Orangi Town police force could tackle it. There were reports that some houses were also set on fire but the SP denied it.
ANP Sindh spokesperson Qadir Khan told The Express Tribune that he condemned the killing of his party’s workers and demanded the government take action against the people attacking Pashto-speaking people. He said that according to initial reports, four ANP activists have been killed and at least six were injured. He said that more killings were expected and the details were being gathered. “They are picking our men off one by one,” he said. “They got on to bus No. 60 and shot people.”
According to a statement, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain also strongly condemned the Orangi violence. The statement said that the citizens of Karachi were being punished as the MQM had left the government and joined the ranks of the opposition in Sindh.
MQM leader Qamar Mansoor said that the violence had suddenly began in Hassan Square and then in Orangi Town.
Earlier, in Hassan Square, at least three people were injured when unidentified men resorted to intense firing and rioted on the road on Tuesday afternoon. The crowd burnt tyres and old furniture and blocked the Hassan Square bridge precipitating a massive traffic jam.
Separately, in Shershah, Lalu, 22, was killed and nearly half a dozen others, were injured when they were returning after burying a young man named Shakir Baloch, a shopkeeper from the market, who was found dead in Saeedabad on Monday. Police said that apparently Lyari’s gangsters had opened fire near the Shershah Pankha Hotel.
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