July 9, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 8,1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 8: The interior ministry on Tuesday instructed the Federal Investigation Agency to shift Malik Bashiruddin — an alleged human trafficker — under tight security to Karachi after his bail was rejected by a Lahore court, sources said.

An appeal was filed by FIA against his bail application.

Mr Bashiruddin, who is also wanted by the American FBI, had sought bail on medical grounds and would be shifted to Karachi late Tuesday night.

Strict security measures were taken presumably to foil his accomplices’ attempts to rescue him from custody, they said.

The source said the accused was being investigated in 13 separate cases of human smuggling in Karachi and Lahore.

He is also wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on charges of having sent many people on fake documents.

He is also accused of having sent over 100 persons to various countries in Europe, the Middle East as well as Canada.

The FIA Lahore is reported to have handed the accused over to the deputy director, passport circle, Karachi on a two-day transit remand.

Bashiruddin was arrested on June 25.