Imran Farooq murder case: ATC to record statements of UK-based witnesses via video link

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) hearing Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq murder case on Thursday accepted the request of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to record the statements of UK-based witnesses via video link.

While hearing the case, ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand ordered FIA's director Counter Terrorism Wing to make necessary arrangements for recording statements of the UK-based witnesses via video link.

Earlier during the course of hearing, Prosecutor FIA Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed filed an application before the court to allow the Agency to record the statements of the UK-based via video link. The statements of foreign witnesses will be recorded on daily basis after completion of arrangements at the UK, he said.

He said that the Agency has submitted the names of 32 foreign witnesses before the court for recording their statements. The names of prosecution witnesses also include Shumalia Syeda Nazar, wife of the victim, he said, adding that Shumalia also requested to record her statement via video link.

The court recorded the statement of chief investigation officer of Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) of London's Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Stuart Greenway and he submitted key evidence with respect to the case.

The other witnesses include Kevin Marin, detective sergeant MPS, David Frisby, detective constable MPS, Ann Conningham, senior reporting fingerprint examiner MPS, Stephen Townson, forensic services MPS, David Cornish, detective constable MPS, Paul Grogan, forensic practitioner MPS, Gerard Cummins, police officer MPS, Nick Kelly, detective constable MPS, Paul Hallman, police officer MPS, Danny Hooper, detective constable MPS, Dr S Al-Sarraj, consultant neuropathologist of NHS, Andrew Walker HH, coroner for greater of HH Coroner's office, Rober Chapman, consultant forensic pathologist coroner and police service, Asif Siddiqui, director London Academy of Management Science, Najaf Syed, Urdu interpreter, Edyta Silwa, employee of London Academy of Management Sciences, Rizwan-ul-Haq, manager MCB, Muazzain Ali Khan, CEO Comnet Enterprises, Mohammad Akbar, company director (a taxi company), Simon, Whitehouse Bank employee, Barclays Bank Plc, Shumalia Syeda Nazar, wife of victim, and Khalid Khan Niazi, secretary attorney general for Pakistan.

When the court raised objection that unnecessary names have been included in the witnesses' list, the prosecutor replied that unnecessary witnesses will be removed from the list when the time comes.

He said that the court's decision will be forwarded to the UK attorney general who will inform the UK Border Agency. The entire process will be done via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he added.

The defense counsel while objecting to the FIA's request to record the statement of witnesses via video link requested the court to reject the Agency's application. The court reserved its judgment over FIA's application.

During the course of hearing, three accused Moazzam Ali, Khalid Shahim and Syed Mohsin Ali were present in the courtroom.

While announcing its judgment, the court allowed FIA to record statement of the UK-based witnesses via video link and issued directives to the FIA's director Counter Terrorism Wing to make necessary arrangements in this regard. The court also ordered that the statement of witnesses will be recorded in the presence of representative of Pakistan High Commission in London. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till January 13.

Two suspects of the case Khalid Shamim and Syed Mohsin Ali had reportedly recorded their confessional statements before the magistrate, saying that Dr Farooq was killed because he was a potent threat to the leadership of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). However, recently, these suspects have backtracked from their confessional statement, saying that they recorded the previous statement under coercion.

Another suspect, Moazzam Ali, has not yet recorded his confessional statement in the case. The ATC indicted the accused under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, related to the murder, abetment and hatching a conspiracy to kill.

On December 5, 2015, the FIA registered a case against the MQM founder and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the murder of Dr Imran Farooq.