Imran Farooq case: Man tells court about interaction with murder suspects

LONDON: The driver, Akbar uddin, who picked up Mohsin Ali Syed — one of the prime suspects in the Imran Farooq murder case — from Heathrow Terminal 4 revealed details about his interaction with the man from Hendon magistrates court to the Islamabad High Court via video link, on Wednesday. 

"Mohsin was not interested in anything else or anyone when I was taking him to Tooting area to stay. All he was interested was in knowing where Mill Hill was (Mill Hill is the area where MQM founder Altaf Hussain lives and the MQM office is also located nearby. Dr Imran Farooq lived only about two miles away from Mill Hill).

Read more: Imran Farooq’s widow confirms meeting alleged killers of her husband

Regarding Moazzam Ali Khan, another key suspect in the murder case, Akbar uddin said that he stayed with his family when he visited. "I live with my wife and three daughters. I knew him though a friend Shehzad and then he [Shehzad] introduced me to another friend Akbar. They introduced me to Moazzam," he said. 

The driver said that Moazzam first came to the UK to attend Altaf Hussain's wedding which was when he first met him.This was also his first visit to England. "Later we became friends and started calling me after going back following the wedding. We became good friends. He stayed in London for about ten days. I used to drop him near tube stations during his first visit," said Akbar uddin.

"He came three or four more times for visit. He collected me from Karachi international when I visited the city. I visited again in 2012 and Akbar requested me to visit Moazzam in a certain area from where he couldn’t leave for certain reasons. That area was 90. I saw people guarding his house with guns. I decided that that was it. During his last visit he requested me to take him to the MQM office in Edgware office where he stayed for two hours. He was shivering and sweating in cold and smoking like anything," he said. 

Moazzam told me Mohsin was his nephew and coming to the UK for studies. "He asked me to look after him. I don’t think I will be going back to Pakistan ever again. I am so scared," he said. 

During cross questioning, Akbar uddin said he has no pictures with Moazzam. He was interviewed on January 31, 2014 by police.

Suspect Mohsin’s landlord records statement

Moeenuddin Sheikh — suspect Mohsin’s landlord — told the court he gave his statement to police in 2013. Mohsin stayed with him and Kashif visited him thrice.

“Mohsin Ali Syed was my tenant in 2010. He was working in the same shop where I worked with a different employer. He was looking for a room and he took it on rent when I offered. He provided me a copy of his passport and showed me the identity card of the college where he was studying,” he said.

Sheikh told the court that before he disappeared in September 2010, a person named Kamran came to meet him. “I tried to reach him on his phone. I rang his college and I was told he hasn’t attended the college for the past few days. I then informed police about his disappearance. The police officers visited my house,” he added.