Interior ministry told to cancel passports, CNICs of Hammad Siddiqui, two other POs

The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the ministry of interior to cancel the passports and national identity cards of Hammad Siddiqui, a former incharge of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Karachi Tanzeemi committee and proclaimed offender in Baldia factory fire case, and two other proclaimed offenders.

During a hearing pertaining to extradition of former MQM incharge o Karachi Tanzeemi Committee Hammad Siddiqui in the Baldia factory fire case, a high court division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha inquired the special secretary interior about the extradition of Hammad Siddiqui, a proclaimed offender in a case in which more than 260 persons lost their lives.

The SHC had earlier upheld the death punishment of two activists of the MQM in the Baldia factory fire case and directed the ministry of interior to submit a progress report on extradition of Hammad Siddiqui.

Special interior secretary Nadeem Mehboob Malik pointed out that the passport of the Hammad Siddiqui was issued in Dubai in March 2014 and requests had been sent to Abu Dhabi, UAE, and other Interpol countries for locating the accused. He said the UAE authorities said the accused had left the country on October 31, 2017.

He said the second red warrants had been issued on the request of the home department. The court observed that at least the whereabouts of the proclaimed offender can be traced by looking at his last entry stamp on his Pakistani passport. The court directed the interior ministry to apprise the court about his whereabouts on the next date of hearing. It observed that since the passport of Siddiqui is cancelled, he could not have moved to any country except the country where he is residing.

It said steps can be taken for his extradition and directed the interior ministry to tell whether the proclaimed offender has dual nationality, and if so what other countries’ passports he holds.

Regarding the extradition of Swedish dual national Khurrum Nisar, who fled the country after killing a policeman in the Defence area in November last year, the court directed the interior ministry and the ministry of foreign affairs to tell the court what steps had been taken for his extradition from Sweden.

The court observed that in case there was no treaty of extradition with Sweden, the court shall be informed whether Swedish authorities can prosecute a dual national who committed offence in a country of other citizenship. It also directed the ministry of foreign affairs to file comments on whether the Swedish law allows universal jurisdiction and what measures have been taken in respect of mutual legal assistance between two countries.

The court also issued a show-cause notice to the secretary the ministry of foreign affairs for not filing a report with regard to extradition of Syed Taqi Haider Shah, who fled the country after murdering an insurance officer in 2008 and residing in Dubai. It directed the ministry of interior to cancel the passports and CNICs of Syed Taqi Haider Shah and Khurrum Nisar.

Taking exception to the non-arrest of proclaimed offenders in Pakistan, the court observed that it is not understandable that why numerous proclaimed offenders in country have not been brought to justice. It directed the IGP and the prosecutor general of Sindh to submit a detailed report on proclaimed offenders throughout the province who were still at large and whether any of them fled the country.

Regarding fire safety arrangements in the factory, the court directed the labour secretary to submit a report on 4,000 factories in Karachi along with inspection certificates.

The court directed the labour department to carry out the process of inspection of 32,000 factories which exist in the city as per a KE report. It said it is unfortunate that most of the factories in Karachi do not have sufficient firefighting equipment to cope with fire incidents. The court observed that though the factories were earning profit, their employees were not being provided a safe working environment.