SC bars extradition of Pak origin terror suspect to US

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday barred the extradition of Talha Haroon, a Pakistani origin American suspect of terrorism, to the US till further orders.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, also sought details of extradition agreements with the US and the UK, asking whether Pakistan had treaties for the exchange of suspects with the US and the UK.

The court barred handing over of Haroon, a suspect in New York Times Square terrorist attack, to the US till further orders. “How an accused could be handed over to the US if the country has no extradition treaty with Pakistan,” Justice Qazi Ahmed asked, adding what was evidence that could become basis of handing over the accused to the US.

“Pakistan is a sovereign state, how could it hand over its citizen to other country,” he asked, saying: “The court will definitely protect our citizens as per the law.” The defence counsel said the Islamabad High Court in an intra-court appeal had left it to the inquiry magistrate to decide the nature of the offence. The counsel apprehended that the magistrate could decide handing over of the accused to the US with superficial inquiry.

While adjourning the hearing for two weeks, the court summoned the attorney general and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with relevant record and data. According to the investigation carried out by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Haroon was in Pakistan in April 2016 and had allegedly planned multiple terrorist attacks in New York City.