Interior ministry told to submit report on steps to bring fleeing murder suspects back to Karachi

The Sindh High Court on Friday issued a notice to the ministry of interior to submit a report with regard to the extradition of Pakistani citizens who were involved in murder cases in Karachi.

The direction came on a petition of Maham Amjad seeking extradition of Syed Taqi Haider from Dubai. The petitioner submitted that Haider killed her father Taqi Shah in 2008 after he disclosed financial corruption of the accused in an insurance company, and later the suspect fled the country. She sought extradition of the accused and an expeditious trial.

A division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha, observed that the court had not received any accurate explanation at which stage these extradition proceedings were. A Federal Investigation Agency assistant director appeared on a court notice but did not provide any material assistance. The court observed that the ministry of foreign affairs had been directed to send a person well conversant with the extradition matters in particular this case, but none was appeared on behalf of the ministry of foreign affairs.

The court directed the secretary of the ministry of foreign affair to ensure that a person well-versed with the facts of the case and extradition procedure appeared on the next date of the hearing. It also issued notices to the secretary interior, telling him to ensure attendance of the person well-conversant with the facts of the case relating to extradition of Haider Shah from the UAE to Pakistan on the next date of the hearing.

The court directed the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of interior and the Sindh government to sit together and provide an accurate reply to confirm what steps each department had taken. It observed that it is expected that extradition documents would be completed prior to the next date of the hearing and sent to the UAE.

Regarding the extradition of Khurrum Nisar from Sweden, who is involved in the murder of a policeman in the Defence area, the court was informed by the CTD SSP that he was in touch with the Swedish authorities and he was in the process of requesting issuance of a red warrant against the accused.

He said the police would expeditiously apply for a red warrant and ensure the extradition of Khurrum Nisar from Sweden. He said that he was also awaiting a perpetual warrant to be issued by an anti-terrorism court. The high court directed the ATC to issue a perpetual warrant for the accused without any further delay and submit a compliance report on June 2.