After Azeem Ahmed Tariq They Killed

Dr Imran Farooq .
Killing as Birthday Gift to Bhai

Dr Imran and fits of Altaf Hussain!

On 16 September, one of the senior most MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq living in exile in
London since 1992 was stabbed to death. He was returning from a nearby pharmacy where he
worked at 0530 pm and was stabbed to death by an unknown attacker near his house. His flat
was situated on second floor of the building on street Green Lane, Edgware. He was hit on his
head from behind with a brick on which he started screaming. His screams were heard by a lady
standing in the balcony of her flat on third floor of the same building. She saw an over 6 feet tall
man scuffling with short-height Imran and then taking out a knife and stabbing him in the back
of his neck several times. The witness rang up the police who on arrival found Imran’s
motionless body drenched in blood lying in front of his house. His body has still not been sent to
Karachi.

Edgware, north of London is a quiet, peaceful and posh residential area inhabited mostly by
British with very few Asians. About a dozen MQM Rabita Committee members and staff
including Altaf Hussain reside in rented houses in the same area. MQM international secretariat
established in a rented building is situated close to late Imran’s flat. The MQM has hired the
services of Scotland Yard to provide tight security to its secretariat as well as MQM leaders.
Each member has a personal body guard. Expenses involved are met by the party leaders in
Pakistan through shady means. According to one estimate, Rs 50 crores is dispatched annually.

50-year old Dr Imran has left behind a widow and two children aged 3 and 5, who used to shuttle
between Karachi and London. He was the most trusted person of MQM leader Altaf Hussain and
was his deputy. He was one of the founding members of the party which emerged on the political
map of Pakistan in 1984 and was appointed Convener of Rabita Committee. Till 1992, he headed
the kitchen cabinet and supervised the working of sector HQs in Karachi. Mild mannered and
learned, he was twice elected as MNA.

As a result of operation cleanup launched by the Army in Sindh under orders of the then PM
Nawaz Sharif in mid 1992 during Nawaz Sharif’s stint in power, Imran along with other MQM
leaders went underground but kept supervising party affairs from his secret location. He later
fled to London in 1999 to join other absconding MQM top leaders including Altaf and sought
political asylum.

Trials of runaway MQM leaders were conducted and convicted in absentia. 60 criminal cases
were registered against Imran, which included, murder, kidnapping, torture and arson. Once the
MQM returned to power after 2002 elections and Gen Musharraf extended his full patronage to
the party, several MQM leaders in exile including current Governor Sindh Ishratul Ebad returned
to Pakistan and got elected after they were absolved of criminal cases through infamous NRO.
Imran however decided to stay behind out of fear of enmity of his victims within Afaq led MQM
Haqiqi, a rival faction that had emerged in 1992. There are unconfirmed reports that Altaf didn’t
permit Imran to return since he was privy to many secrets. Since his self imposed exile, Altaf has
been controlling party affairs through telephonic addresses. Of late, efforts are being made to
convert MQM into a national party.

For unknown reasons, differences erupted between Imran and Altaf in 2008. His party
membership was cancelled but later on restored after his apology was accepted by Altaf. The
portfolio of Convener was taken away from him and he was made dysfunctional. Imran’s father
and his wife who had been awarded ticket in 2002 elections and both had been elected were not
given tickets for 2008 elections. Imran-Altaf differences sharpened from 2009 onwards.
Although his family met him in London quite frequently but the arrangement was not to his
liking. Being out of power and out of good books of party supremo and living away from his
family most of the time he was a depressed man.

Considering the safe environs in which he and his colleagues were residing, assassination of
Imran came as a surprise. The MQM announced ten-day mourning and its leaders are viewing
Imran’s murder as a huge loss and a setback. A variety of conjectures are being made ranging
from mugging cum murder, hand of security guard, role of hired assassin, political rivalry,
personal enmity and in-house conspiracy.

Taking into account that he was playing no active role in party affairs and had been sidelined and
had in a way become more of a liability and possibly a security hazard, his departure has caused
no loss to the party. However, the incident has certainly jolted party workers since he was quite
popular among them because of his amiable nature.

The incident has certainly evoked security concerns among MQM leaders living in London and
has posed caution on
Imran's wife begging for the clue of the killers!

them. They were reluctant to return to Pakistan out of fear of insecurity but now London has also
become an insecure place. It will energize Altaf’s opponents to put added pressure on Altaf to
return to Karachi who these days is forcefully advocating bloody revolution and is also inviting
Army Generals to step in and rid the country of the corrupt feudal landlords and industrialists
responsible for all the ills in the society. Idea of bloody revolution is being repeatedly aired by
MQM leaders. Analysts feel that it is another foreign inspired gambit to harm Pakistan.

Another twist in the story is Gen retired Musharraf’s decision to join politics. Reportedly, during
his meeting with Altaf Hussain at London in March 2009, Altaf asked him to join MQM to
strengthen his political base. Musharraf consented but on the condition of being made chairman
of the party. Altaf could not risk making him all powerful since he feared that Musharraf being a
smart operator might take advantage of his absence and sideline him completely. He therefore
regretted saying that he was prepared to give him any portfolio other than chairman.

Once the fortunes of ruling coalition plunged into murky waters after annulment of NRO
ordinance by Supreme Court on 16 December 2009, relations of coalition partners particularly
MQM-ANP became tense due to unabated target killings in Karachi. MQM’s policy of violence
promoted by hawkish elements within the party came under increasing censure. Moderate
elements within the party feeling the heat started having second thoughts.

Deteriorating security conditions together with growing political instability and weakening
economy of the country was ascribed to corrupt and inept practices of the elected leaders. Zardari
was seen as the villain of the peace, responsible for most ailments. Sharp decline in popularity
and credibility of the ruling regime due to sky rocketing prices of daily commodities, load
shedding and growing incidents of street crimes disenchanted the people who had pinned high
hopes in democracy. Encouraged by fast declining popularity of the PPP and ever growing
frustration of the people, Gen Musharraf living in exile in London since his ouster from power in
August 2008, and egged on by his fans, decided to join politics after he completed the mandatory
two-year period after retirement and try his luck to recapture power. His fans assured him that
the people having seen the real face of politicians; he would be welcomed back as a Messiah to
put the country back on the rails.

In consultation with his loyalists within PML-Q, Patriots, MQM and other smaller parties,
Musharraf decided to form a political party and named it as ‘All Pakistan Muslim League’
(APML). The new party has been formally launched on 01 October in London. About his
homecoming, he said he would return to Pakistan when conditions were ripe. Musharraf has
thrown feelers that the Army would be soft towards him and will not oppose or hinder his entry
into political arena. To win its favors, he has sought constitutional role for the Army. Liberal
group which exercises considerable influence in urban centres is looking forward for his return to
power so that his enlightened moderation drive could be accelerated to turn Pakistan into a
secular state.

Name of his party gives a clear indication that he will try to entice as many from various factions
of PML. This move panicked Chaudhri brothers from Gujarat and they hastened to merge with
Pir Pagara led PML-F and invited other Muslim League factions including PML-N to join hands.
Pagara has been accepted as the head and he in turn has chosen to name the amalgamation of
other factions as ‘All Parties Muslim League’. Other than PML-N, others have responded
positively. Even Tehrik-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan has indicated his willingness to join aged
Pagara. These groupings will impact PML-N the most. Nawaz’s animus against Musharraf and
Chaudhri brothers remain as strong as ever.

Sensing that the grip of sitting government was loosening and PML-N’s political base was
confined to Punjab only, the US and UK agreed to support Musharraf provided he mustered
sufficient political support in all the provinces. Musharraf has all along been kept as a reserve
horse to fill the vacuum whenever it occurred. Having little faith in Chaudhri brothers, Musharraf
decided to make Karachi as his main base with the help of educated and enterprising members of
MQM unsupportive of violence. Reportedly pro-Musharraf faction led by Dr Imran had emerged
in mid 2009 and had caused a split in the party. Certain key leaders had approached Musharraf
and expressed their willingness to ditch Altaf and to accept him as their leader. Nursing
grievances against Altaf for sidelining him since he had objected to policies of Altaf, Dr Imran
decided to join a new party under Musharraf and reportedly was all set to attend launching
ceremony of APML on 01 October.

Leaders of all political parties particularly PML-N, Jamaat-e-Islami and Balochistan nationalists
have reacted angrily to Musharraf’s decision to return and take part in politics. Extremist groups
have also to settle scores with him. Zardari stated that ousted dictator had no room for his
political ventures in Pakistan, as he would remain in exile till death. It seems history is repeating
itself since it is not very long when Musharraf used to often rant against Benazir and Nawaz
vowing not to let the return. With so many sworn enemies gunning for him, his return is possible
only if the sitting government or the Army agrees to welcome him. This doesn’t seem likely for
the time being.

Guardian newspaper has thrown some light on understanding between Musharraf and late Imran
and on possibility of in-house hand in murder of Imran. Musharraf has however denied having
ever met Imran. Other British papers have also nominated Altaf as prime suspect behind his
murder. In the wake of reporting in foreign print media, Altaf has expressed his deep fears that
some powerful countries have hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him and that murder of Imran
was part of the plot. MQM Rabita Committee in London has appealed to the British government
to further beef up security of their chief, and so has MQM’s North American leaders, who have
written a letter to David Cameron. An impression is being created that forces that have been a
threat to Altaf in Pakistan have now become a threat to him in foreign lands as well.
Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorism unit is investigating the murder but so far no headway has been
made to trace the culprit(s). Witnesses have stated that the assassin gave the appearance of an
Asian. It is becoming a cause of embarrassment for the agency which prides itself in its
investigative skills. Scope of the investigation has been widened to examine various possibilities.
Altaf and other members of Rabita Committee in London are being quizzed and asked as to why
he fell from the grace of Altaf after he served him so loyally for a long time. There are reports
that sniffer-dogs of Scotland Yard have been sniffing the vicinity of MQM residential areas. A
small breakthrough has been made by investigators after recovering murder weapons from Green
Lane. Recovered items include kitchen knife with 14 cm blade with which deceased was stabbed
and the brick with which his head was injured.

Reportedly, Altaf is seriously considering shifting his party’s international secretariat to Dubai or
Johannesburg since he and his colleagues feel London has become an unsafe place for them or
may be they feel Ahmadi card will not protect for long. South Africa is also being considered
where MQM workers have established a strong base and where India also has a heavy presence.
A month back a rumor was in circulation that the MQM had ordered its elite terrorist wing to
move from South Africa to Pakistan to make Karachi Beirut of Pakistan; each member was
equipped with multiple passports and identity cards; master mind was Qamar Ghalib Teddy,
Sohail Commando, Rizwan Haider and Nadeem Mullah. This rumor was in circulation when
target killing in Karachi had peaked and maximum fatalities were of Pashtun settlers from
working class in Karachi.

One must keep in mind why Suddenly Altaf started supporting Ahmadis and Calling Army Chief
to intervene also Altaf has started hurling anti-US and anti-west statments. Besides criticizing
US invasion of Iraq, he strongly censured sentencing of Dr Aafia Siddiqui to 86-year jail term
and asked Pakistan government to sever diplomatic ties with Washington. His followers took out
huge processions in cities of Sindh to protest award of sentence to Dr Aafia by US court. This is
a complete somersault of the party to its earlier pro-American stance and yet another effort to
win the sympathies of Pakistanis and to improve its vote bank in other provinces. The MQM has
a fair chance to give a tough time to the two mainstream parties at national level if its leader
returns to Pakistan and desists from mixing violence with politics. However, Dr Imran’s murder
seems to have sealed the chances of his possible return. Lets see how much Ahmadis will protect
him.