Norway: Request for extradition of Norwegian-Pakistani

Abdul Rehman (54) disappeared 16 months ago in Pakistan. In October 2005 Abdul Rehman set out on his motorcycle with another Pakistani. The two were supposed to drive from huta Rai Bahadur to Lala Musa where Rehamn would change Norwegian money to Pakistani Rupies. That was the last time Rehman's family saw him.

The Pakistani is suspect of murdering Rehman, who is a Norwegian citizen, but Pakistani police think Rehman was killed on commission of another Norwegian-Pakistani, a man in his late thirties.

The Pakistani police is attaching the Norwegian-Pakistani to the case via telephone print outs that show that he had frequent contact with the man they suspect of killing Rehman. The contacts occurred before and after Rehman disappeared.

Abdul Rehman has family in Norway. He had wanted to divorce because he has married again in Thuta Rai Bahadur. He new wife, Sakina Rehman, is now responsible for the couple's three small children in Pakistan. This new marriage has led to a family conflict. Police suspect that this conflict is the cause for the disappearance.

Ahsan Mehboob, police commissioner for the Gujrat district in Punjab, says that they will apply to the Norwegian embassy in Islamabad to formally ask for an extradition from the Norwegian police. They want the Norwegian police to arrest the man and to extradite him to Gujrat.

The police in Gujrat had already put out a warrant in August of last year for the arrest of the Norwegian-Pakistani, should he come back to Pakistan.

The Norwegian-Pakistani says he doesn't understand why he should be imprisoned and that he was in Norway when the Pakistani disappeared. He says the suspect Pakistani rang
he rang him the day Abdul Rehman disappeared, but that he didn't answer because he was sleeping. When he woke up there were 6-7 unanswered calls on the telephone. He called back immediately as he is a close relative and they speak often.

The case is a problem for the Norwegian government. Abdul Rehman hasn't been found and there isn't therefore concrete evidence to show a murder had taken place. Additionally, Justice Minister Knut Storberget has taken the initiative for better police cooperation between Norway and Pakistan. Mehboob wants to prove that there is a good relationship between Norwegian and Pakistani police.

Norwegian police doesn't want to comment on the case. According to police lawyer Torunn Omvik from the Østfold police district, they will wait until they get a request for extradition.

Police are working on three theories - Rehman ran away, he is being held in captivity, or he has been killed. The last seems more likely.

The suspect Pakistani fled his home in Thuta Rai Bahadur. Aftenposten spoke with his mother, wife and brother, all who claim that he is innocent. His two kids (5 and 3) ask after their father often, said the mother.

Source: Aftenposten (Norwegian)

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