Inquiry court okays extradition of Norwegian Pakistani suspect of Oslo club attack

ISLAMABAD: An inquiry court suggested the federal government extradite Norwegian-Pakistani Arfan Qadeer Bhatti for the investigation into a shooting in June 2022 that killed two people near a club in central Oslo.

The Norwegian authorities have declared Bhatti a second suspect and conspirer and linked him to the prime suspect Zaniar Matapour, a Norwegian of Iranian origin. The inquiry judge Muhammad Abdullah Mahmood, Additional Deputy Commissioner General Islamabad, sent an inquiry report on Monday and wrote the Interior Ministry to move Bhatti’s extradition. Bhatti, in 40s, with ancestral roots in district Gujrat, Punjab, was born and raised in Norway by his parents. Bhatti, who claimed he was in Pakistan during the attack, was picked up by Pakistani authorities in September 2022 after the extradition demand by Norway. Norwegian police had issued an international arrest warrant for Bhatti. Police in Norway sought Bhatti for the alleged “complicity in a terrorist act”. A couple of weeks after his detention he was produced before the inquiry court for trial.

“I have gone through the record and heard the arguments from both sides at length. Sufficient incriminating documentary evidence is available on the record. The fugitive offender is charged with offence of committing a terrorist act, terrorist conspiracy, homicide, attempted homicide, and conspiracy to commit homicide and it is safely concluded that prima facie a case is made out against the accused / fugitive offender, therefore, the said accused / fugitive offender may be extradited to Norway, in view of a prima facie case against him as per the Extradition Act 1972 without prejudice to the merits of any trial that may be conducted. The extradition or discharge of accused / fugitive offender is the prerogative of the Federal Government as per Sections 11 & 13 of the Extradition Act, the case is being forwarded, “ the order read.