Widow of Pakistani leader appeals for help

LONDON - The widow of a Pakistani politician murdered in London Thursday appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about his killers.

Shumaila Farooq, widow of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Imran Farooq, Thursday broke down at a news conference, describing her husband as “a dedicated family man, a loving father and a loving husband”, Sky News reported.

Farooq was repeatedly stabbed in the head and neck during the assault in Edgware, north London Sep 16. He had claimed asylum in Britain after spending seven years on the run. He had moved to London in 1992 after a crackdown was launched by Pakistan’s military against the MQM. He was accused of a range of charges, including murder and torture.

She spoke of how his death had left her “devastated” and begged for anyone with information to approach police.

“Someone, somewhere knows something about my husband’s murder. He was a dedicated family man, a loving father and loving husband. His murder has devastated me and left my family in a state of shock. I want to appeal to anyone who has any information about the attack to contact the police,” she said.

“It does not matter how insignificant this information may seem to you. It could be absolutely vital to the investigation.”