FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: The government has broadened the scope of investigation into Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case and decided to register a first information report (FIR) in Pakistan against three accused in custody.

“The decision to register an FIR against the main accused Muazzam Ali Khan and Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali was taken in the light of an inquiry report prepared by Scotland Yard Team and Joint Investigation Team (JIT),” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Tuesday while addressing a news conference.

He said the three accused were jointly interrogated by JIT and Scotland Yard Team and they had made serious revelations during the investigation. The main objective of the FIR was to further proceed the probe of the Imran Farooq murder case, he said, adding that after the remand the accused were supposed to be released but they have made serious revelations during the investigation, “so we’ve decided to register an FIR against them.”

The Minister said that Dr Imran Farooq was a Pakistani citizen therefore “we need to bring to book the culprits involved in his murder.” Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad will register an FIR as it is a high profile murder case and the FIA Islamabad had conducted an investigation, he said.

Nisar while condemning terrorist attack on Military police in Karachi, vowed to expedite the ongoing operation against criminals and terrorists. “The Karachi operation will be further expedited in the next few days,” he added.

He said during the last weeks some hardcore terrorists have been released either due to weak investigation or prosecution; therefore “now we have decided to review the investigation and prosecution of arrested terrorists.”

He further said the terrorists released during the last weeks will be arrested and action would be taken against the officials found guilty of conducting weak investigations.

The minister said that investigation of the Dr Asim Hussain case was conducted by the Rangers and now National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would conduct a probe.

About the registration of International Non-Government Organizations (INGOs), the Minister said the deadline for registration of INGOs has been extended for one month as a goodwill gesture. “The INGOs which failed to apply for online registration till December 31, will have to leave the country after January 1, 2016,” he added.

He said that before the promulgation of new policy only 19 INGOs working in Pakistan were registered with the government, while hundreds of other had been functioning unregistered for years. He said that so far 129 INGOs have applied for registration through an online form and the Ministry of Interior has started their verification.

About suspended readmission agreement with European countries he said that the EU delegation agreed to Pakistan’s concerns regarding readmission agreement. The EU and Pakistani authorities will hold a formal dialogue over the different points of readmission agreement after few weeks to resolve the issue, he said.

He also said that most deported Pakistanis returned home from Saudi Arabia, because of overstay after performing Umrah and Hajj but they needed to share details of deported Pakistanis with us prior to their repatriation.

The Minister said the Ministry of Interior has almost completed revalidation of arms licenses. The Ministry has so far revalidated over 100,000 licenses and cancelled 7000 fake licence, he said.

About National Action Plan (NAP), he said the efforts regarding the implementation of country terrorism plan have entered into a decisive phase and he will convene a meeting of the chief ministers of all provinces and Ulemas after the return of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.