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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Probe comes to a halt as UK, Pakistan differ on extradition issue

By Murtaza Ali Shah
May 04, 2016

LONDON: Negotiations between Pakistan and Britain over the extradition issue of Dr Imran Farooq’s murder alleged executors and planners have grinded to a halt over the fate of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists Khalid Shamim and Moazzam Ali Khan – who are believed to have played the central role in the murder conspiracy of exiled former MQM top leader.

Authoritative sources have told The News that Scotland Yard is interested in only having Mohsin Ali Syed extradited to Britain for the murder trial, refusing to seek extradition of Moazzam Ali Khan and Khalid Shamim.

Undeniable incriminating evidence exists with Pakistani and UK authorities about the involvement of the two Karachiites and they have made admission about their involvement too in recorded interviews.

Dr Imran Farooq was killed by Mohsin Ali Syed and Kashif Khan Kamran on 16 September 2010 outside his home but the alleged killers were helped, facilitated, sponsored and directed by Moazzam Ali Khan and assisted by Khalid Shamim.

Records available with the Scotland Yard – obtained from the British High Commission in Pakistan and the London College of Management Science (LAMS) where the two alleged killers enrolled as students and obtained visas to enter London – show that Moazzam Ali Khan used his business papers as the main sponsor, paid fees for the alleged killers and transferred money into their accounts arranged cash for the duo while they were in London.

The source said that Pakistan offered to Scotland Yard’s counter terror chief Commander Richard Walton a year ago during his last summer visit to Pakistan that it was ready to assist Britain in resolving the murder conspiracy of Dr Imran Farooq and that it would respond positively to any request made for not just Mohsin Ali Syed but also Khalid Shamim and Moazzam Ali Khan.

The British investigators liked the idea and Pakistan then granted access to the London police for interviews of the three but after coming back from Pakistan Commander Walton as well as his team members at the Scotland Yard went quiet for several months and none other than Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan himself told Geo News last week that no extradition had been received till now.

Last week, when this correspondent asked Chaudhry Nisar what was the problem when both the UK and Pakistan claimed to have great diplomatic relations, the interior minister was frank and blunt in admitting that not all was well and deep confusion and distrust existed between the two countries. Nisar made honest admission that the UK had failed to place an extradition request about a high-profile murder case on its soil which it says committed to resolve.

Chaudhry Nisar, for the first time ever, openly confirmed that Pakistan would cooperate with the UK even in the absence of extradition treaty between the two countries and that “the lack of an extradition between the two countries shall not hinder cooperation to curb crimes and terrorism.”

But, he suggested, that the UK needs to seek the extradition at the first place or Pakistan cannot force the UK to seek the extradition of the alleged killers and facilitators of Dr Imran Farooq murder case.

The credible security source told this reporter that the UK had been, informally, asking Pakistan to only extradite Mohsin Ali Syed but not Moazzam Ali Khan and Khalid Shamim. Scotland Yard has told Pakistan that it wanted only Mohsin Ali Syed because it was Mohsin Ali Syed who was in the UK at the time of the killing – along with Kashif Khan Kamran whose fate remained shrouded in mystery - and it’s him who should stand a criminal murder trial at a crown court.

On the other hand, Pakistan has stressed that only putting Mohsin Ali Syed on the trial would be a whitewash and full justice could only be done when alleged helper and facilitator Moazzam Ali Khan and Kahlid Shamim were also put on trial on the British soil for a crime which they helped and financed as part of wider political conspiracy against Dr Imran Farooq. Scotland Yard has officially accepted that Dr Imran Farooq was killed because he wanted to set up his own independent political party. The source said that Pakistan had, on several occasions, offered to the British authorities to put all the accused on trial on the British soil and extended the scope of the investigations but the Scotland Yard had shown reluctance, citing legal difficulties but without explaining.

Scotland Yard has told Pakistan that the Crown Prosecution Services wouldn’t entertain trial of Moazzam Ali Khan and Khalid Shamim who were not present in the country when the crime was committed but the overwhelming presence of the evidence means that the UK authorities have political considerations, hampering the investigation.

Pakistan has, according to the source, stressed to the Scotland Yard contacts that the evidence against the two is overwhelming and any court would punish the duo for their involvement in the conspiracy by supporting Mohsin and Kashif.

Pakistan has said that the court has to go by the evidence that exists about the two but the UK authorities are not keen to have the duo included. The source said that Pakistan is of the view that “the real alleged planners and facilitators of Dr Imran Farooq murder conspiracy can only be brought to justice when the Scotland Yard looks at the wider conspiracy and plenty of evidence that it has.”

Chaudhry Nisar said in London that he was optimistic that developments would take place in coming days but the security source said that no development was expected unless the UK agreed to bring over Moazzam Ali Khan and Khalid Shamim along with Mohsin Ali Syed or else Pakistan would not agree to hand over only Mohsin Ali Syed and the source said that Chaudhry Nisar made it clear to the Home Secretary Theresa May also during their last week’s meeting.

Responding to the Scotland Yard statement that Dr Imran Farooq was killed because of his plans to set up his own independent political party, the MQM says that it has given full cooperation to the police to bring the alleged killers to justice.

Scotland Yard refused to answer questions about its reluctance to seek extradition of the alleged facilitators and planners of Dr Imran Farooq’s murder but a spokesman issued the following statement to this scribe: "We continue to liaise with the Pakistani authorities in relation to the murder of Dr Imran Farooq and remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice."