SC tasks NAB with Haqqani's extradition

Court has summoned written answer from NAB in one week

ISLAMABAD:

After the Federal Investigation Agency's attempts to extradite former envoy to the United States Husain Haqqani, the Supreme Court on Thusday directed the country's accountability body to make efforts for his extradition.

The bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, expressed its desire to have the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) assist in the Memogate case. Amicus curiae on the case, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, said NAB can repatriate Haqqani from the US.

Lamenting that such issues are caused by the lack of extradition treaties and mutual agreements with other countries, said:  "We should focus on NAB's agreement with the United Nations Security Council about repatriation of culprits".

The court also instructed NAB to submit a written answer over the issue in a week's time and adjourned the hearing till then.



Recommending that the Parliament should draft legislation for the repatriation of culprits, Justice Nisar said, ""Parliament should introduce legislation regarding foreign agreements in one month".

In July, the SC directed the federal government to take necessary steps to bring Haqqani back. During the hearing of the Memogate case, the three-judge bench had passed the instructions in regards to the former US envoy.

Soofi had recommended that relevant rules should be framed to enable direct access for the FIA to approach US authorities regarding Haqqani’s repatriation.