Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Friday, restricted the government from handing over a US citizen of Pakistani origin to his country of citizenship.
Talha Haroon is being investigated for involvement in planning an attack in New York City (NYC). As the hearing went underway, Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiani announced the verdict on a petition filed by Muhammad Haroon, father of the accused. The appellant had challenged the district administration’s decision to extradite his son Talha to the US.
The court observed that a citizen could not be extradited solely on the basis of postal correspondence between Islamabad and Washington.
Justice Kiyani further directed the relevant investigation officer in the US and Haroon’s lawyer to appear before an inquiry magistrate. The inquiry magistrate was also ordered to wind up the case within 60 days.
Earlier in 2016, Haroon, 19, was arrested in Pakistan after notice by US authorities identified him among the three accused of planning attacks on Manhattan’s Times Square and the city’s subway. A Canadian citizen and a man from the Philippines was also said to be involved.
