Adil Najam
The murder of Dr. Imran Farooq – one of the founders of MQM, a central figure in the development of the party and a key architect of its conceptual and ideological foundations – in London has sent shock around Pakistani political circles, particularly in Karachi.
Once second in prominence in MQM circles only to Altaf Hussain, Imran Farooq has been out of political news for many years now and had distanced himself – or been distanced – from mainstream day-to-day MQM affairs. The reasons why have remained unclear but the stuff of rumor mills. His murder in London is bound to reignite the rumor mills again. Indeed, they already have.
It remains unclear what happened in London. But it is clear that the repercussions of what happened there will be felt in Karachi and beyond well into and after the 10-day “mourning period” declared by MQM. Right now all television channels seem more engrossed in showing MQM leader Altaf Hussain’s near hysterical breakdown at MQM’s London offices, but we need to also begin thinking through the many critical questions that remain unanswered: Was this a run of the mill mugging and murder in a large international metropolis, or an international political targeting? If the later, who was behind it and why? But most important of all: what, if anything, does this mean for MQM; and by extension for Karachi and Pakistan?
Details still remain sketchy and there are more rumors floating than facts. This report from Dawn lays out the essential details:
Dr Imran Farooq, a founding leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the organisation’s first secretary general, was assassinated in London on Thursday evening. Dr Farooq also served as the party’s only convener.
Television reports, quoting party and family sources, said Dr Farooq was attacked by some unidentified men with daggers near his London residence. He died of multiple wounds. But according to one source, a lone assailant had been lying in wait inside the apartment block where Dr Farooq lived on the first floor. He was attacked with a knife when he was climbing the stairs. He died on the spot.
At first the MQM leadership tried to keep the murder under wraps. Meetings in different cities to mark the 57th birthday of the party’s founding leader, Altaf Hussain, were suddenly cancelled for “unavoidable reasons” and supporters were told by senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar to go home. Tens of thousands of people had assembled in different places in Karachi, Hyderabad and other towns in Sindh to celebrate their leader’s birthday.
At the same time, the MQM leadership in Karachi and London went into closed-door sessions to discuss the situation arising out of the development. Reports from London said the police had cordoned off the apartment block and preliminary investigations had begun. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far and no arrests have been made.
Dr Imran Farooq is remembered by Muttahida loyalists as one of the key figures who laid the foundation for the All Pakistan Mohajir Students’ Organisation (APMSO), which eventually turned out to be a forerunner of the MQM. During the early 1980s, the APMSO was converted into a fully fledged political party to advocate the cause of the Urdu-speaking popuce, mainly in Karachi and other parts of urban Sindh. With Altaf Hussain as its leader, the bespectacled Dr Farooq was appointed secretary general of the party. He was also regarded as one of the main ideologues and the brain behind education of the party cadre.
When in 1992 Altaf Hussain went into self-imposed exile in the wake of a military crackdown, Dr Farooq went underground in Karachi, running the party from hiding. Although he was declared absconder by the then government, he continued to dodge the authorities. Eventually he managed to slip out of the country on a fake passport and under an assumed name. After arriving in London, he applied for political asylum. In the initial years he was one of the main players who helped Altaf Hussain oversee the party’s restructuring from London.
However, a couple of years ago differences emerged, sending Dr Farooq into obscurity. Since then he had been living the life of a recluse, with no role in party affairs. Even then his brutal killing sent the Muttahida rank and file into a daze, leaving them searching for answers.
@Rumaisa.
Since when can a middle class Pakistani afford to live in London, do you even know the rent of a simplest flat in London.
Just out…Trotsky has been murdered…
Some comments from the ATP Facebook page:
– “This will bring only more misery to ordinary Karachites.”
– “Reap what you Sow!”
– “Looks like an inside job”
– “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un”
– “makafat-e-amal sub k sath hona hay………
inna lillah-e-wainna illehi rajioon”
– “Aate k saath ghun pis gya,Aik ba amal or ba kirdar insan dunia se chala gya.Bohet he Dukh ki Baat hai.(Inna lilla-he- wa Inna alehe Rajeun).Mufadperest loge “SIASI FAIDAH” uthane ki koshish keren ge or Mulki imlak ko nuqsan pohnchaen ge.Ya Allah watn e azeez ki hifazat fermana(AAMEEN)”
– “acha hai lanti mara. He was inactive for about 2 years aur ye log to kaam na karne wale bande ko marwa dete hain gunde hain sare MQM ke jo karachi main dandanate phir rahe hain aur wo bhi koi acha banda nahi tha 60 murder cases the is ke uper. jahannum ki aag main jalen ge including that big genda bhai jo pure karachi main masoom logon ko marwata hai especially pathanon ko.”
– “Seems like Altaf was warned by someone or Altaf warned somebody..in any case he lost his Life for a worthless cause..MQM is on its last pillars and soon when these go down NO MORE MQM…”
– “its long planning,murder one man,close business and shops for 10days pathans own these bjsiness in karachi,how long will they bear the loss,frustrated pathan will soon leave karachi.this is what MQM wants, same they did with punjabis,they r murderers and can easily kill their own members.”
– “For one moment I had smile on my face which is wiped away when I realised Imran Farooque is got killed instead of altaf Hussain!”
– “Inside job done by Altaf bhai;)”
People are blaming Altaf Hussain needlessly. You have to understand that these two were together at the very beginning and so their memories are personal and deeper than politics. These comments are very bad.
Imran Farooq was not a mainstream leader for a long time and his killing wont discount MQM to least. I have long been having a feeling (for almost over an year) that MQM is in need of a SHAHEED mostly because of the political milage attached to having a SHAHEED. I am not pointing fingers or making speculations, but a (good) politician should play the SHAHEED CARD carefully for maximum results.