Repatriation of ‘killers’ from abroad in 2 months ordered

Accused killed colleague in 2008 and fled to foreign countries

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has given the authorities two months to repatriate the accused involved in the murder of State Life Insurance Company officer Amjad Shah and seek the extradition of Taqi Haider Shah, who fled to the UAE, and Khurram Shehzad, who absconded to Sweden.

During the hearing at the SHC, the focus was on the repatriation petitions concerning Taqi Haider Shah and Khurram Shehzad. The court noted the challenges in extraditing the accused from abroad, citing communication gaps between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Despite efforts to repatriate Shah and Shehzad, progress has been hindered by objections from the UAE government, particularly concerning the duration of the prisoner exchange agreement.

The court ordered the removal of objections raised by the UAE government within a month. Moreover, the court ordered the repatriation of both accused within a two-month timeframe. Failure to comply with the court orders may result in the federal interior secretary and the secretary of foreign affairs being summoned to court.

The court adjourned further proceedings on the case until May 2.

It may be mentioned that Mahim Amjad's father was killed in 2008 by his colleague at the State Life Insurance office, after which the accused Shehzad fled to Sweden following the murder of a police officer.

In a separate case, the SHC sought responses from IG Sindh, DIG, and SSP South regarding a petition filed against police action and harassment at the residence of former federal minister Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi.

During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel argued against the police raids on his client's property, citing violations of privacy and harassment through false allegations. The court restrained the police from arresting Jatoi's family and directed the authorities to respond at the next hearing. The court also prohibited the filing of any case without prior notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2024.