KARACHI: Close coordination between Saudi and Pakistani law enforcement agencies led to the arrest and extradition of a wanted Pakistani criminal who had been on the run for over five years, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.
Ghulam Abbas was wanted in connection with a 2019 case involving the kidnapping of a woman in the Pakistani city of Gujranwala. He was also accused of attempted murder.
“The criminal was arrested in close coordination with the Saudi police. The Saudi team deported him to Pakistan,” a statement issued by the Punjab police said, adding their special operations cell had obtained red warrants for Abbas from Interpol.
Earlier, the city police chief of Gujranwala wrote a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday, saying the “fugitive criminal” was scheduled to be extradited from Saudi Arabia and would arrive at Islamabad airport on Tuesday morning.
Interpol had already informed the Pakistani authorities that three Saudi officials would accompany Abbas during the extradition process.
“A team from the special operations cell took the wanted criminal into their custody at the airport,” the police statement said.
It added that Inspector General of Punjab Police Dr. Usman Anwar had directed that Abbas be brought to justice through a swift legal process. He also noted that other “dangerous criminals” would be brought back to Pakistan with the assistance of Interpol and the FIA.
“Crackdown for the arrest of wanted criminals involved in heinous crimes must be accelerated,” the statement added, citing the IG Punjab.
