MQM chief murdered in London was about to join Musharraf's party

London, Sep 27(ANI): Scotland Yard that is investigating the murder of leading Pakistani politician Dr. Imran Farooq has been told that rows within his Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party may have led to his assassination.

Farooq was stabbed to death earlier this month during a knife attack near his home in Edgware, London.

The 50-year-old was one of the founding members of the MQM- the fourth largest party in Pakistan, and part of the ruling coalition government.

The murder is being investigated by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism branch because of the political dimension to the killing.

A source said that Farooq might have been about to endorse or join the new party set up by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

"It lies within the MQM. Dr. Farooq was probably going to join Musharraf," The Guardian quoted the source, as saying.

Musharraf is vowing to leave his own London exile, and return to Pakistan to launch a fresh bid for power.

His new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, will launch its programme in London later this week.

Meanwhile, police is still looking for the suspect attacker who, one witness said, appeared to be an Asian man.

Farooq was attacked in Green Lane, Edgware, on September 16.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police had said that officers attended an address in Green Lane after reports of a serious assault.

"On arrival, officers found a single Asian man aged 50 with multiple stab wounds and head injuries. Paramedics attended the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene," he added," the spokesman had said.

Farooq had disappeared from Pakistan in 1992, and was living in exile in London since 1999, when he claimed asylum in the UK.

He was understood to be one of Pakistan's most wanted fugitives, with charges including murder and torture. (ANI)