An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday issued arrest warrant of three suspects allegedly involved in Imran Farooq murder case.

Arrest warrant of Kashif Khan Kamran, Muhammad Anwar and Iftikhar Hussain were issued by the ATC on the request of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

FIA had plead that three alleged suspects were directly involved in killing of senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Imran Farooq.

According to the documents available with Dawn.com, the FIR against the above mentioned suspects was registered in September 2010.

Last month, Khalid Shamim, a key suspect in the murder of Dr Imran Farooq, confessed to his role in the murder and alleged Altaf Hussain was also involved.

“September 16 was chosen as the date for Farooq’s murder as it was meant to be a gift for Altaf Hussain on his birthday,” said Shamim in his confessional statement.

He added that a sum of 25,000 pounds were sent to him through Iftikhar Hussain, which were spent on travel arrangements.

The Federal Investigation Agency submitted the confessional statement in an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Thursday.

Last year, FIA arrested Khalid Shamim and Moazzam along with Mohsin Ali for their alleged role in the murder of Dr Farooq.

Earlier this year, a video of Shamim emerged, who was being held at the Adiala jail at that time, in which Shamim alleged that MQM chief Altaf Hussain was involved in Imran Farooq’s murder.

Senior MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq was was stabbed and beaten to death near his apartment in Green Lane, Edgware in the UK in 2010.

The FIA’s counter-terrorism wing had registered a case under the relevant clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the clauses of conspiracy, assistance, abatement and assassination/murder have also been incorporated in the FIR.