Daily Times

LAHORE: In a surprise revelation, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Interpol Desk Director Tariq Nawaz Malik has informed Lahore High Court that Abid Boxer has not been extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

The statement was made on Friday during the hearing of a petition filed by the former police inspector’s family seeking his protection.

“Abid was not extradited to Pakistan,” said Malik, who liaises with the Interpol on behalf of the FIA. “He is still abroad.”

Malik told the court that no agency had brought back the former police officer, accused of having connections with the underworld, land-grabbing and extra-judicial killings. Sources within the law enforcement agencies had previously confirmed that Abid, who has been on the run for 11 years, was brought back to Pakistan. They said Abid had been moved to Karachi by the law enforcement agencies.

On February 23, Justice Anwarul Haq of the Lahore High Court sought a reply from Punjab Police inspector general and FIA DG on a petition filed by relatives of Abid. The family sought his protection as thye believed that certain elements in the police force might kill Boxer in a “fake police encounter”.

Petitioner Jafar Rafi, the father-in-law of Boxer, had filed the petition through his counsel in LHC, contending that Boxer was arrested with the cooperation of Interpol in Dubai.

He said Boxer’s life was in danger and they feared he might be killed in a “fake encounter” by police. It was requested that the court summon the record of cases regdistered against him. Protection was also requested for the police inspector.

Published in Daily Times, March 17^th 2018.