Abid ‘Boxer’ not in Pakistan, FIA official tells LHC

LAHORE: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Interpol Desk Director Tariq Nawaz Malik on Friday informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that former Punjab police inspector Abid ‘Boxer’ is not in Pakistan and that he has not yet been extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

The statement was made on Friday during the hearing of a petition filed by the former police inspector’s family seeking his protection.

“Abid has not been extradited to Pakistan. He is still abroad,” said Nawaz Malik, adding that no agency has brought back the former police officer.

Earlier on Feb 28, the Lahore High Court (LHC) summoned lawyers of the parties concerned to record their arguments on a plea regarding Abid Boxer’s protection.

Abid’s father-in-law Jaffar Rafi submitted a plea in LHC, demanding protection for his son-in-law as there was a possibility of him being killed in a fake encounter. He complained that the police were not disclosing details about his arrival in Pakistan despite repeated requests.

Accused in several murder and land-grabbing cases, Abid is believed to have contacts with the criminal underworld and was once considered a mastermind of fake police encounters.

Notorious for extrajudicial killings, kidnappings for ransom, fake encounters and land-grabbing in Lahore, Boxer, who joined the Punjab Police as ASI on the quota reserved for sportsmen, fled to Dubai to avoid his arrest back in 2007.