Greek judge dismisses case against Pakistani architect

LONDON: A Greek judge has dismissed a case against a British Pakistani architect who was arrested last month by the Interpol in connection with the Margalla Towers collapse during 2005 quake because Pakistan failed to make a formal request for his extradition within the time required to do so.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, a design engineer originally from Harrow in London, was hired to design the first ever multi-storey apartment building, Margalla Towers in F-10, one of Pakistani capital’s posh districts. He was arrested last month through the Interpol in Athens.
The Greek judge dealing with the extradition matter of Dr Hafeez Sheikh has decided that under Article 16 of the Greek criminal code, the statutory period of 40 days allowed to Pakistan for making a formal request for his extradition has elapsed with no move from them, resulting in dismissing the case.
Dr Sheikh’s lawyer Barrister Iftikhar Ahmed has confirmed to The News that his client will fly to London soon. The extradition case in Spain and now in Greece was dismissed because Pakistan failed to seek Dr Sheikh’s extradition, Barrister Iftikhar Ahmad told The News.
He said he had received instructions to take up the matter with Interpol in Lyon, France to have the Red Warrants against his client removed on the basis that Pakistan has on two occasions demonstrated lack of interest in his extradition.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had Dr Sheikh’s design approved by a panel of three architects of the country but Dr Sheikh, Ramzan Khokhar and his wife and some CDA officials were named in an FIR lodged by the Interior Ministry after the collapse of the building. Dr Sheikh and Khokhars were in London when the investigations commenced.
The Interior Ministry had meanwhile issued Red Warrants through the Interpol for Mr and Mrs Ramzan Khokhar and Dr Sheikh immediately after the collapse.Barrister Iftikhar Ahmed explained that a Rawalpindi trial court has acquitted all accused by declaring “the collapse of a Margalla Tower due to the unprecedented earthquake of 2005 as an act of God, with none responsible for it”.
The government went into an appeal and the matter is still pending, but it is understood that all of the accused are on bail except for Dr Sheikh who did not appear before the court.
In November 2009 on a visit to Barcelona, Dr Sheikh was arrested by Spanish police acting on the Red Warrants of Interpol and informed Pakistan but the authorities concerned failed to send a formal request for his extradition within a specified time under the Spanish extradition laws. After about three months of detention, Dr Sheikh was freed. Barrister Iftikhar Ahmad represented Dr Sheikh in his case before the Spanish authorities.