Scotland yard fail ?

Scotland Yard restores Musharraf security after Imran Farooq murder

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LONDON: The Scotland Yard accorded full security protocol to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf when he arrived at the Heathrow Airport after finishing a speaking tour in Hong Kong.

The News has learnt from credible sources that the Scotland Yard reviewed its decision of withdrawing security protocol to Musharraf after the shocking murder of Muttahidda Qaumi Movement’s leader Dr Imran Farooq in London.

The security establishment believes that the former Pakistani ruler, who was pivotal in launching operations against militants, is under serious threat from al-Qaeda and the Taliban-inspired militants. The attackerscould be Britain’s home-grown militants, Pakistan nationals angry at Musharraf for siding with the West or any Arab in support of al-Qaeda’s ideology.

Dr Imran Farooq’s murder, which is believed to be politically motivated, has shocked the British establishment, as Britain has a reputation as a safe haven for people seeking political refuge.

The MQM leader was killed outside his home in Edgware by an Asian-looking assassin(s). Musharraf was in Hong Kong at the time of the killing but it really worried him about his own safety in London, according to a close friend of Musharraf.

Following the release of the United Nation’s inquiry report on the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December 2007 in a bomb attack in Rawalpindi, the British government had decided to withdraw expensive security contingent containing four Scotland Yard officers, an armoured car and any protocol to the former president of Pakistan.

After speaking to a small group of Pakistani journalists at Heathrow, Musharraf and his wife, Sehba Musharraf, who had arrived at the airport though a reserved VIP gate, were driven to his residence in a BMW 5 Series police escort car.

Four armed policemen in uniform toed Musharraf’s car, which was driven by a Met police officer while a security official sat in the front seat.

Since his departure from Pakistan as the result of a deal with the Pakistan People’s Party government, the former president has been living in his luxury apartment in the heart of central London on the famous Edgware Road, at a walking distance from Nawaz Sharif’s palatial residences in the extravagantly opulent Park Lane.

A source told The News that as soon as Musharraf heard about the killing of Dr Imran Farooq, he asked his London aides to get in touch with the British authorities in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and Scotland Yard.

The News has learnt that the decision to restore security to Musharraf was taken at a high-level meeting of the Metropolitan Police officers who assessed that the threat to Musharraf’s life was real and could cause huge embarrassment to the British government if anything happened to him while living on the UK soil. Authorities in Britain believe that “everyone knows Musharraf is a target because of his key role in the ‘war on terror’ and his decisive actions against militants, including an operation against Lal Masjid militants. After the killing of Dr Imran Farooq, it is clear that London is not as safe as it was considered to be,” said one of the key aides of Musharraf in London.

(source:zoneasia-pk.com)