SHC summons interior secretary in person to explain why Hammad Siddiqui not extradited

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has taken exception to the authorities’ failure to file a report on the extradition matter of Hammad Siddiqui, former incharge of the defunct Karachi Tanzeemi Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and a proclaimed offender in the Baldia Town factory fire case, and other person and directed the interior secretary to appear in person and explain why the court order was not followed.

The direction came on a petition with regard to the extradition of Pakistani nationals who were involved in criminal cases from the UAE and other countries. The high court had directed the federal interior and foreign affairs ministries to explain why Siddiqui had still not been extradited despite court orders.

A constitutional bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha observed that despite the passage of 18 months, Siddiqui, a proclaimed offender in a case in which more than 260 persons lost their lives, had still not been extradited.

The SHC had also directed the interior ministry to confirm the cancellation of Siddiqui’s CNIC and passport, locate his whereabouts and show what steps had been taken to ensure his extradition.

The high court observed that no reply had been received from the ministry of interior and foreign affairs. The SHC directed the interior secretary to appear in person along with the reply of a show cause notice and inform the court what steps had been taken in coordination with the ministry of foreign affairs to ensure extradition of Siddiqui to Pakistan.

Regarding the extradition of Syed Taqi Haider Shah, another absconder who was involved in a murder case, the high court said the order of his extradition was issued on June 2, 2023, but hardly any substantial progress had been made for his extradition from Dubai, which was quite extraordinary.

The SHC observed that it appeared that the ministries of interior and of foreign affairs were running around the circles and not making any meaningful progress for reasons best known to them in the extradition of Shah who had shot dead a Pakistani citizen before fleeing to Dubai.

Sadia Gohar, the deputy chief of protocol for the foreign affairs ministry, said they needed to send certain documents to the UAE for the purpose of extradition of Shah, but these documents and other information had not been received from the interior ministry despite repeated requests.

The high court issued a show cause notice to the interior secretary and directed him to appear in person and explain the delay in the non-compliance with the court order. The SHC had earlier ordered the interior ministry to cancel the passports and CNICs of Siddiqui, Shah and another proclaimed offenders. Regarding the extradition of dual national Khurrum Nisar, who fled the country after killing a policeman in the Defence area in November 2022, the SHC was informed that he was being tried in Sweden for the offence committed in Pakistan, and that Pakistan was providing all legal assistance there. The SHC directed the interior and foreign affairs ministries to file a report in this regard on the next date of hearing.