ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that the UK government had sought access to the main suspect in the murder case of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq.

Talking to reporters here at the Punjab House, he said a letter had been received from the UK, requesting that British investigators be given access to the suspect, Mohsin Ali.

“No decision has been made over the request so far,” he said, adding that the issue would be decided after consultations.

Also read: MQM urged to ‘come clean’ in Imran Farooq murder case

In reply to a question about the possibility of giving the custody of the three suspects arrested in connection with the murder to the UK, the minister said no decision had been taken so far. “However, they are not likely to be handed over to the British government,” he added. The interior ministry had earlier given British investigators access to suspects Moazzam Ali and Khalid Shamim.

Moazzam had allegedly facilitated alleged killers Mohsin Ali and Kashif Khan Kamran’s travel to Britain by arranging their air tickets and visas, besides bearing expenses.

Khalid Shamim was the first person to be contacted by the alleged killers after the murder.

Officials privy to the matter said that British investigators were likely to get access to Mohsin. They may be allowed to interrogate him in the presence of local officials, they said.

Dr Farooq was killed outside his residence in London in Sept 2010 when he was returning from work.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015

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