Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday took up appeals of three convicts in the Imran Farooq murder case.

Headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah, an IHC bench heard the appeals filed by Khalid Shamim, Moazzam Ali and Mohsin Ali challenging an anti-terrorism court’s June 18, 2020 verdict that sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Mohsin’s lawyer partially completed his arguments. He said a key eyewitness didn’t identify his client in the case. The chief justice asked if a sketch issued by the London police didn’t match with Mohsin Ali.

He called for a photo of Mohsin Ali to be presented to the court. The case was adjourned until today (Tuesday).

On June 18, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad had sentenced the appellants to life imprisonment in the high-profile murder case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq. They were also imposed a fine of Rs1.2 million each.

The verdict announced by ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand had noted that the assassination of Dr Imran Farooq was the result of a conspiracy hatched in the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan by Altaf Hussain, the head of the MQM. Muhammad Anwar and Iftikhar Hussain, senior member of the MQM, were also involved in the murder plot, it said.

As per the plot, Khalid Shamim and Moazzam Ali facilitated and sent Muhammad Kashif and Syed Mohsin Ali to the UK for murdering Dr Farooq who was killed in Green Lane, Edgeware area of London on September 16, 2010.