August 09, 2006	Wednesday	Rajab 13, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: Pakistan and the United Kingdom have finalised an extradition treaty, which would be ready for signing after some apprehensions of Islamabad have been addressed, says the British High Commissioner.

“We have last year reached an understanding on the extradition treaty at an official level. This would be the first extradition treaty of the UK with a Muslim country,” said High Commissioner Mark Lyall Grant in response to a question following a speech at the Islamabad Chamber here on Monday.

Talking to Dawn, the high commissioner said the agreement had almost been finalised. But he said Pakistan’s cabinet identified some issues to be clarified before signing.

When asked what were those issues which delayed the signing of the treaty, Mr Grant replied the most difficult issue was of the ‘death penalty’.

When asked if the treaty would have a retrospective effect, the high commissioner replied that it would have a ‘change effect’.

The Pakistani foreign office has almost finalised the agreement with the UK but the content of the draft has not been shared with the stakeholders, which would have an impact on around 1 million Pakistanis living in Britain.

Moreover, it was not clear as to how many “wanted” persons may be swapped between the two countries after the treaty is signed.

Pakistan and the UK were both signatories to the United Nations’ Terrorist Bombing Convention, which obliges them to prosecute or extradite bombing suspects. However, the treaty would be the first specific extradition agreement between the two countries and would broaden the category of extraditable offences.

Answering a question, the British High Commissioner said that the UK Embassy in Dubai had issued a six-month-visit visa last month to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for travelling to London.

Commenting on the travel advisory being issued to UK citizens for visiting Pakistan after 9/11, Mr Grant said that it has been relaxed to a great extent for those who had sound reasons for visiting Pakistan, particularly tourists, adding that three years ago the advice was not to visit Pakistan.

“We have changed our travel advisory two times during the last three years. We constantly keep on reviewing it. But, obviously there is a threat of bomb blasts, attacks, etc, we have to point out to our citizens,” he added.

To a query, he replied that the UK government did not tell people not to visit Pakistan but rather advised them to take care of their security.

Earlier, the High Commissioner in his speech to businessmen said that his government would keenly observe the transition process in 2007 when both the presidential poll and general elections would be held.

That would be a difficult time, he said, adding that the transition would be clearly watched by London.

He also mentioned early completion of the third-generation reform process, including reforms of judiciary, bureaucracy, reduction in corruption and overcoming energy shortages.