UK govt refuses to deport absconder former Pak minister Ishaq Dar

London: The British government has refused to deport Pakistan former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who has been declared proclaimed absconder by the Islamabad courts.

Turning down Pakistan's plea of Dar's deportation, the Britain government said there is no extradition treaty between Islamabad and London for the exchange of wanted criminals, therefore, the request of Pakistan stands rejected, a report in Geo TV said.

There is a margin in British law to grant such request, but for that, the Pakistan government will have to officially approach the British government, according to the sources.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed the authorities concerned to continue to take measures for the repatriation of former finance minister. The Ministry of Interior had cancelled Dar's diplomatic as well as normal passports, besides blacklisting him. 

Dar has been declared a fugitive by an accountability court in an assets case over absence.

The petition was filed by an activist from the UK around a month ago which was signed by more than 80,000 internet users making a number of allegations against Dar, but the British government, in a statement, rejected these allegations and made it clear that the petition will not be entertained.

A written statement issued by the petitions team of UK government and parliament said: "We rejected the petition you supported? "Deport absconder Pakistan's Ex-Finance Minister Ishaq Dar back to Pakistan."

The statement said that the online petition against Dar included "libellous, false or defamatory information," which could not be relied upon to take action against him.(UNI)