Tuesday saw a flurry of activity where the MQM and its interactions with the British and Pakistani legal systems are concerned.

Perhaps the most closely followed story of the day was Muttahida chief Altaf Hussain’s appearance before London’s Metropolitan Police in connection with a money-laundering case.

After interviewing him for several hours, the British authorities extended the MQM supremo’s bail till July.

Meanwhile, in Karachi, Moazzam Ali, one of the key suspects wanted in MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq’s 2010 murder case, was produced before an anti-terrorism court and placed under preventive detention.

Read: Money laundering case: Altaf Hussain's bail extended till July

On Monday, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan had announced that the suspect had been arrested in the Sindh capital.

This individual is believed to have sponsored the British visas and provided the tickets for two men suspected of murdering Dr Farooq in London, as well as making other arrangements for the men’s travel and stay.

The suspect has been linked to the case for some time now, with his name emerging in media reports earlier on; the London police are believed to have been aware of his involvement and alerted the Pakistani authorities. While it is hoped that his arrest will help solve this brutal murder case, one key question remains unanswered: where are the two individuals who are believed to have actually murdered Imran Farooq?

The names of the suspected killers — Mohsin Ali Syed and Kashif Khan Kamran — have also been cited in numerous media reports for some time now.

Also read: Prime suspect in Imran Farooq murder arrested in Karachi: Nisar

These men are believed to be in the custody of Pakistani intelligence and were reportedly picked up from the tarmac at Karachi airport upon their arrival from the UK, via Sri Lanka, in 2010.

The security establishment has maintained an ambiguous position on their status and whereabouts, though it has also been reported that British authorities have been given access to the men.

The state needs to disclose the facts about these individuals — where are they being held, what exactly are the charges against them, what evidence exists against them etc — so that the murder case is thoroughly investigated and solved without further delay.

With the arrest of the alleged facilitator of the suspected killers from Karachi, we hope the investigation is expedited and that the authorities both in the UK and Pakistan are able to bring the murder case of the senior Muttahida leader to a conclusion and punish those involved in the planning and execution of this crime.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015

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