ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that a two-member team of London Metropolitan Police will arrive in a few days to interrogate a key character in the Dr Imran Farooq murder case.

Talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House, he said it was not clear whether the UK team would interrogate the man alone, or jointly, with the country’s law-enforcement agencies.

The minister did not name the man to be investigated, but said he was arrested in Karachi, leaving no doubt that he was referring to Moazzam Ali, a Karachi-based businessman who is accused of arranging air tickets and visas for two suspected killers of Imran Farooq who had flown out of the UK hours after the murder.

He said the accused was being kept in custody under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Chaudhry Nisar said an application had been received from the UK for legal assistance in the murder case and noted that this assistance was an obligation.

He said the UK had been told last week through diplomatic channels that in the first phase, they could investigate the man arrested from Karachi.

The Metropolitan Police team would reach Pakistan by the end of this week or beginning of the next week, he added.

The minister said that the two suspects in the same case recently arrested in Quetta had so far not been brought to Islamabad. “They continue to be in Quetta under the custody of Frontier Constabulary.”

He said Pakistan enjoyed good relations with the UK and a decision in the case would not be taken under pressure.

The cooperation would be under agreements signed by the two countries.

He said all the three accused in the case were under custody now and they would be brought to Islamabad.

Chaudhry Nisar said a joint investigation team would be set up to quiz the two men arrested in Quetta and the information would be shared with the UK. He said no request seeking access to the two accused had been received from London so far.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2015

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