The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday dismissed appeals filed by three convicts challenging their sentence in the Dr Imran Farooq murder case.
A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamir Farooq announced the verdict that was reserved last year in Dec after both defence and prosecution sides completed their arguments on the appeals.
Khalid Shamim, Moazzam Ali and Mohsin Ali filed the appeals assailing their conviction handed down by the Anti-Terrorism Court.
On June 18, 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad had sentenced the appellants to life imprisonment in the high-profile murder case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq. A fine of Rs1.2 million each was also imposed.
The court noted that the assassination of Dr Farooq was the result of a conspiracy hatched in the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan by Altaf Hussain, the head of the MQM. Muhammad Anwar and Iftikhar Hussain, senior members of the MQM, were also involved in the murder plot, it said.
As per the plot, Khalid Shamim and Moazzam Ali facilitated and sent Muhammad Kashif and Syed Mohsin Ali to the UK for murdering Dr Farooq who was killed in Green Lane.