JOHANNESBURG, July 14: Amnesty International on Friday called on South Africa to probe the handover last year of a Pakistani terror suspect to his home country and help in securing either his release or trial.

Khalid Mehmood Rashid was handed over by South Africa to Pakistani officials at a Pretoria air base eight months ago. He has not been seen since.

In a letter to South African President Thabo Mbeki, Amnesty said: “The government should establish an independent inquiry into the circumstances of Rashid’s transfer and the possibility that it may have contributed to the commission of human rights abuses.”

Amnesty also urged Mbeki to use his “good offices to encourage Pakistan to ensure that Rashid’s lawyers and family were granted immediate access to him”.—AFP