UK-Pakistan close working helps convict man for Dr Imran Farooq’s murder

Islamabad: A man has been convicted of murdering Dr Imran Farooq in London ten years ago, thanks to the close co-operation of law agencies in the UK and Pakistan

The conviction came about after a ground-breaking piece of collaboration between the UK and Pakistan, which allowed evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police to be shared with Pakistani prosecutors and be presented as part of their case, said a statement released by the British High Commision.

It ends an investigation into the death of Dr Farooq, a senior figure within the Pakistani political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). He was was murdered on 16th September 2010 when, after returning home from work, he was approached and brutally and fatally attacked by two men armed with a brick and knives.

After a trial in Islamabad, Pakistani national Mohsin Ali Syed, 35 (15.05.1985), was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder Dr Imran.

Muhammad Kashif Khan Kamran, 40 (6.7.1979), a Pakistani national and the other individual who was identified by Met detectives as being involved in the murder, was convicted in absentia of murdering Dr Farooq.

Enquiries into the pair’s background later revealed that both Syed and Kamran were connected to the MQM party, and confirmed the investigation team’s suspicion that the murder had likely been related to politics.

Dr Christian Turner CMG, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, said: “Today’s conviction marks a team effort between law agencies in the UK and Pakistan working together to get justice for the murder of Dr Imran Farooq.”

“This ground-breaking legal collaboration, assisted by the British High Commission, meant that evidence gathered by the British police could be shared with Pakistani prosecutors and used in the successful prosecution of Mohsin Ali Syed.”