SHC calls for comments in Moazzam Ali Khan extradition case

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Friday notices calling for comments from the interior secretary, the director-general of the Sindh Rangers and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a plea against the extradition of Moazzam Ali Khan outside the country for an interrogation in connection with financing the murderers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq.

The division bench issued the notices after the suspect's wife, Sabia Bano, named them as respondents in the proceedings. The next hearing date has been set for July 30 for the petition filed by the suspect's wife, who had sought the release of her husband on bail following the end of his 90-day detention by the Rangers.

According to her, the Rangers personnel arrested Khan from his house on April 12 and had placed him under 90 days preventive detention under Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act. She apprehended that Khan could likely be extradited for interrogation in connection with Imran Farooq's murder.

She alleged that, after his detention period ended on July 13, Khan's custody was illegally handed over by the Rangers to the FIA. She sought an order by the court for the federal authorities to submit the report of the Joint Investigation Team investigating the murder case. She also requested that the court order the FIA officials to allow her to meet her husband.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2015.