Mustafa Kamal accuses Altaf Hussain of orchestrating Dr Imran Farooq murder

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan senior leader Syed Mustafa Kamal has accused the party’s founder Altaf Hussain of orchestrating the murder of Dr Imran Farooq, alleging the killing was planned while Hussain was under the influence of alcohol.

Speaking to the media in Karachi, Kamal, who is also the federal health minister, claimed that Dr Imran Farooq — a founding member and former secretary general of the party — was murdered as a “gift” on the MQM founder’s birthday. Kamal said he had remained silent for the past two years but decided to speak out after Hussain recently alleged that the killers were within the ranks of MQM-P and the Pak-Sarzameen Party, which Kamal had founded before merging it with MQM-P.

Kamal further accused the MQM founder of creating “unnecessary controversy” over the recent death of Dr Farooq’s widow, Shumaila Imran Farooq, who passed away in London earlier this month after battling cancer and other health complications. He alleged that donations were collected from around the world in the name of sending her body to Pakistan.

According to Mustafa Kamal, Hussain had complained to his workers in Pakistan that Dr Farooq was “causing trouble,” following which party workers travelled to London and carried out the killing in 2010. He said he possesses evidence against the killer and is ready to fully cooperate to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

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Dr Imran Farooq was found murdered near the MQM office in London on September 16, 2010. He had served as the first secretary general of the Mohajir Quami Movement, later renamed Muttahida Quami Movement. His widow continued to seek justice for years and, according to a Geo News report, was later abandoned by both MQM factions in London and Pakistan.

Kamal also claimed that Scotland Yard was aware of who was responsible for the murder, adding that Dr Farooq’s children were hidden for 15 days after the killing due to security concerns. He urged them, now grown up, to pursue legal action to reopen the case.

He said the actions of the MQM founder had severely damaged the reputation of the Muhajir community, setting them back decades in education and civic development. “This man used to orchestrate murders and then mourn the same,” Kamal alleged.