SC orders govt to take necessary steps for Haqqani's repatriation

Justice Nisar gives two weeks to frame rules to enable FIA to approach foreign authorities

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the government to take necessary steps to bring the country's former envoy to the United States back to Pakistan.

During the hearing of the Memogate case the three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, passed the instructions in regards to Hussain Haqqani.

Ahmar Bilal Sufi, an amicus in the Memogate case, recommended that relevant rules should be framed to enable direct access for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to approach US authorities regarding Haqqani's repatriation.

Sufi added that there is a need for structural reforms so that FIA could be empowered to approach foreign authorities through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) for the repatriation of criminals from abroad.

Justice Nisar observed that Haqqani submitted an undertaking that he would return to Pakistan. The bench granted two weeks to both the FIA and Sufi to frame rules and submit a draft.



On May 2, Interpol sought additional information to justify the issuance of a red notice against Haqqani. FIA Director General Bashir Memon submitted a fresh report in the apex court regarding his efforts to bring Haqqani back to Pakistan.

The report stated that a request was sent to the Interpol Secretariat General (IPSG) on April 9 for the issuance of a red notice as a result of an FIR against him regarding the misappropriation and fraudulent withdrawal of $4,127,389 from the government fund from May 28, 2008, to November 23, 2011.



In February, it was reported that the FIA had decided to register a case against Haqqani over charges of embezzlement.