Imran Farooq, a leading Pakistani politician and the deputy leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement, who had been living in exile in the United Kingdom, was found murdered outside his house in London on Thursday evening.
Farooq, a founding member of the MQM, which is part of the ruling alliance in Pakistan, was found with head injuries and stab wounds outside his Green Lane house in Edgware in north London.
His death sent shock waves in Karachi, where MQM is a major political force. He is the second top Pakistani MQM leader to have been assassinated in recent weeks.
Raza Haidar, another MQM lawmaker, was killed in August in Karachi. The assassination of Farooq triggered a total shutdown in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, a citadel of MQM, where public transport went off the roads. Schools, colleges, shops, commercial establishments and offices downed the shutters as people mourned the killing.
Police and paramilitary forces were out in force in the city which has been rocked by political violence as revenge attacks and arson often follow high profile slayings.
The London Metropolitan Police said they were called to reports of a serious assault in a lane in north London.
"Officers found an Asian man, aged 50, with multiple stab wounds and head injuries. Paramedics treated him but he was pronounced dead at 6.37 pm (local time)," said the police.
Announcing his death in the party website, the local MQM spokesman declared ten days of mourning and cancellation of celebrations of the birthday of the party's founder Altaf Hussain, who also lives in UK in exile.
"The police are investigating the crime and are hopeful that the killer will be arrested," a party spokesman said.
"No arrests have been made in connection with the incident so far," said the police. Farooq was twice elected as a lawmaker of the National Assembly and was also the founding leader of the MQM's youth wing.
Farooq had taken political asylum in London along with Hussain in 1992 after the government ordered a military crackdown against the party. Incidentally, party leader Hussain had in recent weeks appeared to suggest that Pakistan's army should overthrow the civilian government, angering its ruling ally Pakistan's Peoples Party and its leader Asif Ali Zardari.
The MQM is in running battle with the Taliban as the party represents Mohajirs, a term used for settlers from India. The party cadres often clash with Pashtun speaking settlers in Karachi.
He is also wanted over scores of charges including murder and torture. But he had described these charges as 'fabricated and politically inspired'.
Farooq told the British paper The Daily Telegraph that he had to escape to England after threats were issued against him.
