Tells officials to call Adiala Jail superintendent to stop process. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday halted the extradition of a ‘Pakistani citizen’ to the United States for his alleged involvement in corruption there.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani ordered the authorities to stop the extradition process of Mujahid “Peter” Pervez, who is wanted and is due to stand trial in a New York court.
The court directed officials to inform Adiala Jail’s superintendent about its orders over the phone as Pervez’s lawyers, Ali Nawaz Kharal and Mian Ahmed Khan, said that the extradition process was set to be completed on Monday.
The counsel named the federation through the secretary of Interior Ministry, Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Sattar Essani and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general as respondents in the case. Pervez has been accused of illegally and unlawfully controlling and operating at least 16 pharmacies which billed Medicaid medical insurance through nominee owners over the past 15 years and allegedly committed grand larceny by bribing physicians and patients and falsifying records.
Moreover, Pervez is accused of withdrawing over $30 million from Medicaid.
Pervez, though, has denied the allegations and has challenged the interior ministry’s orders of conducting inquiry and extradition. His counsels argued that all proceedings conducted against their client were ultra vires of the Extradition Act 1972, adding that Pervez was entitled to be discharged as per Section 12 of the act.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2017.
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