Imran Farooq’s Murder Investigation Continues

Jonathan Utz—AFP

British police say MQM leader’s attack required careful planning, and killers might have had help.

British counter-terror police on Tuesday searched two residential properties in London as part of an investigation into the three-year-old murder of Pakistani politician Imran Farooq.

The 50-year-old, a founding member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, was attacked as he returned home from work in September 2010. He died from multiple stab wounds and blunt trauma to the head, a postmortem examination found.

The searches represent the first public sign of progress in the case in more than a year, although London’s Metropolitan Police Service insisted the investigation remained active. “The searches are continuing. There have been no arrests,” the police said in a statement.

In September 2011, one year after Farooq’s murder, police offered a reward of £20,000 for information that helps lead to a prosecution, and this still stands. “We remain committed to finding those responsible,” said a police spokesman.

Detectives had previously said that while they were open-minded about the motive, the attack would have required careful planning and that Farooq’s killers may have had help.