Pakistan and United Kingdom sign first-ever MoU for extradition

In this September 27, 2017 file photo, Pakistan's former finance minister Ishaq Dar arrives to appear in an accountability court in Islamabad. Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom to extradite wanted individuals, a development which may also help its government bring Dar back to his country. (AP)

• The development may help the government bring Ishaq Dar back to Pakistan
• Prime minister’s adviser on accountability says his meeting with British home secretary was fruitful

ISLAMABAD: Prime minister’s special assistant on accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar announced on Monday that his country had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom to extradite wanted individuals to Pakistan, adding the development would also make it possible for his government to bring back the country’s former finance minister Ishaq Dar who currently resides in England.
Faced with serious corruption charges, Dar left Pakistan in October 2017 to attend a regional economic conference but did not return to his country. In a letter sent to an accountability court, he said that he was suffering from diffuse coronary heart disease and needed medical treatment abroad.
In December 2017, the court declared him an absconder and in October 2018 it ordered the government to auction Dar’s movable and immovable properties.
On Monday, Shahzad Akbar announced in a tweet that he had had productive meetings with UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Field.
“UK signs first ever MoU for extradition to Pakistan, setting legal basis for extradition of Ishaq Dar in absence of a treaty,” he said in a twitter post.