ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has decided to conduct the trial of three accused in the murder case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq in Central Jail of Rawalpindi.

The court has fixed May 2 for framing of charges against the accused.

During the proceedings on Wednesday, ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand asked the investigation officer why the challan in respect of MQM leader Altaf Hussain had not been submitted yet.

Two suspects, Shamim and Syed Mohsin Ali, have already recorded their confessional statements before the magistrate alleging that Farooq was killed as he was a “potent threat to the leadership of MQM”. The third suspect, Moazzam Ali, has not recorded his statement so far.

Shamim confessed that Farooq’s murder was a ‘birthday gift’ for the MQM founder Altaf Hussain while Syed’s statement revealed that he took part in the crime because he was promised a position in the London secretariat of the party.

On Dec 5, 2015, the Federal Investigation Agency registered a case against Altaf Hussain and other MQM leaders for their alleged involvement in the 2010 murder. Dr Farooq was murdered near his residence in Green Lane, Edgware, in September 2010.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2018