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The caretaker federal government told the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday that notorious 'encounter specialist' Abid Boxer has been in the custody of Pakistani authorities since February this year.
Earlier this year, reports surfaced that Boxer ─ a former police officer wanted in over a dozen cases of murder, attempted murder, land-grabbing and others in Punjab ─ had been arrested in February in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in connection with a fraud case and brought back to Pakistan with the help of Interpol.
In March, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Punjab Police, however, denied these reports, and told the court Boxer had yet to be extradited to Pakistan.
Take a look: Nargis alleges torture by ex-policeman
The director FIA had reiterated the Interior Ministry's claim in the LHC during hearing of a petition filed by Boxer's father-in-law seeking protection for his son-in-law, that no agency had brought Boxer back to Pakistan.
Today, Deputy Attorney General Syed Zafar Abbas Gilani told the court that the former police officer had been shifted to Pakistan from Dubai in February.
Justice Anwarul Haq, who is hearing the case, directed the relevant authorities to produce Boxer before the court on July 27.
The court also summoned the director FIA in the next hearing of the case.
Boxer's father-in-law claims that a number of fabricated cases had been registered against his son-in-law on the basis of political victimisation and has sought protection for Boxer. He is afraid that his son-in-law will be killed in a fake encounter.
Who is Abid Boxer
Abid Hussain had joined the police department in 1988 as an assistant sub-inspector. He was later promoted to the rank of inspector. He fled Pakistan in 2008 after the police lodged cases against him under murder, attempted murder, fraud and forgery charges.
The murder case that forced Hussain to flee Pakistan was lodged against him at Qila Gujjar Singh police station after the death of a retired army brigadier, Naseem Ashraf. Ashraf’s wife had lodged the case accusing the former inspector of killing her husband. She alleged that Hussain wanted to grab a cinema owned by the retired brigadier in 2008.
The complainant later died under mysterious circumstances and it was suspected that she too was killed at the behest of Boxer.
In February, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan alleged that the former inspector had confessed to killing people on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
"Police never kill people until and unless a chief minister orders or grants permission to kill people," he had quoted Abid as saying. "Abid Boxer fled to Dubai as Shahbaz Sharif wanted to kill him because he could expose the chief minister," Khan alleged.
Comments (24) Closed
Everyone knows he was Shahbaz’s right hand man
So again only after the death of an armed formed official, the action was taken. Life of common citizen doesn't matter to anyone.
new episode of another drama is getting ready
We must get to the bottom of this story. If the allegations are true then this person must be punished accordingly and his masterminds also given the same punishment.
It’s time to change power politics in Pakistan
Another Nail for Sharif family
@sana : Such dramas Wil continue.
Is Pakistan being run by gangsters and murderers? There are plenty of stories about how some of our politicians have got rid of people they did not like or who came in their way. The country must be cleaned up of such evil people , and now is the chance for Pakistanis.
Interesting thing is that he is only caught when election are days away.
You cannot hide anywhere in the world if you have committed a crime. Welcome back Mr. right hand of Shabaz Sharif.
If Shahbaz can skip model town & hudaibiya, should he really worry about abid boxer?
@Observer#1 thsi guy is in custody for a long time... so get ur facts straight
What is the result of Rao Anwar case. He is out and enjoying his life after more than 400 killings. Nothing is going to happen to this guy as well. These are only used and surfaced for the political purpose to get a better deal
Arm twisting of Shahbaz to budge in or face all sort of Boxers in future.
Abid was Shahbaz Sharif right hand killer guard as Rao Anwar was used by Zardari in Sindh and especially in Karachi to kill their opponents.
There are a number of low level government fuctioneries who have been attached with the prime minister's office since long. Actually they have been brought to the prime minister's office on deputaion from other departments. Their links and activities should be investigated in order to ascertain if they ever misused their position with the prime minister office.
But where is water, where is dam, where is hospitals, where is education systems, where is good governance, my dear interim government? $ jumped to record high, Rs128-130 per $. Where we stand in Asian arena?
Nightmare for Shahbaz Sharif.
@Wajih Qidwai I disagree. Abid Boxer killed retired army man not a civilian. So he will be punished not like Mr. Rao.
@naji Rao Anwar has rendered a great service to Karachi by eliminating terrorism from the soil. He is a hero but unfortunately he is made into a villain. Yes, he sure is a bit of a racist.
Abid Boxer fled to Dubai as Shahbaz Sharif wanted to kill him because he could expose the chief minister,"...the final boxing round has started!
It has nothing to do with Mian Shahbaz sharif.
@Asif Malik Everyone knows that Shehbaz was not the Chief Minister till late 2008 whilst Abid Boxer fled the country in early 2008. He may have been a right hand man of Ch Pervez Elahi
Mr Shahbaz Sharif should hire his defence lawyer for this case without any delay.
Abid boxer has been boxed in.