ISLAMABAD, May 22: The Afghan government is reluctant to hand over Roohullah, the alleged murderer of the advocate general of Peshawar High Court, to the Islamabad police, Dawn has learnt.

The Kabul police and its foreign office declared Roohullah an Afghan national a claim, which was contested by the investigating team.

The investigators told them that he was Pakistani. Though his wife is an Afghan national, she also uses Pakistani documents, including CNIC and traveling (passport).

Besides, the investigators also informed the Afghan authorities that the alleged killer was using the Afghan passport of his paternal cousin, Fazal Ahmad Khan, as both were identical. However, the authorities response is awaited, the officers added.

“An Afghan parliamentarian is providing protection ever since he escaped from District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi on July 29, 2012,” they added.

The investigators are still in touch with the Afghan police and keep informing them about the locations of the alleged killer during the last two months, which changed twice, but action is not taken against him yet, the officers said.

Although there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, the investigators acted on the assurance of Afghan ambassador in Islamabad that his government would assist the police in arresting the alleged killer.

After the assurance, a team dashed to Afghanistan and met governor and police chief of Nangarhar province. Besides, it also met the senior officer of Afghan Foreign Office and representative of Interpol (international police) there.

The police team informed the location of the killer and also visited the area along with the local law enforces where Roohullah was hiding. The local police of the area - a rural area located few kilometers away from Jalalabad – was also gave guidelines over the action against the killer which led to his arrest.

In March, the alleged killer was hiding at a residence of an Afghan Senator from Kabul, located few kilometers away in a rural area near the city of Jalalabad.