No UK extradition treaty, can only cancel Nawaz Sharif’s passport: Pak Interior Minister

No UK extradition treaty, can only cancel Nawaz Sharif’s passport: Pak Interior Minister
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif looks out the window of his plane after attending a ceremony to inaugurate the M9 motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad, Pakistan February 3, 2017. Picture taken February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz - RTS16O56
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The Pakistan government is exploring all possibilities to bring back former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from the UK, but it can only cancel his passport now as there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Friday.
On Wednesday, Ahmed had said that the government will cancel the passport of Sharif on February 16.
Nawaz Sharif, 70, has been living in London since November last year after the Lahore High Court granted him permission to go abroad for four weeks for treatment.
The three-time former prime minister, who was convicted in two corruption cases was declared a proclaimed offender in December by the Islamabad High Court after he failed to appear before it despite several warnings.
Addressing a press conference, Ahmed said the government will explore all possibilities to bring back Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan. β€œHowever, since Pakistan currently has no extradition treaty with Britain, his ministry can only cancel Nawaz Sharif’s passport once it is expired,” he said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in October had said that he would contact his British counterpart Boris Johnson, if needed, to discuss Nawaz Sharif’s deportation.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, on Wednesday said Pakistan had asked the British authorities to deport Nawaz Sharif who was convicted by the courts.
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Fadia Jiffry

Fadia Jiffry

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