Amid talk of a possible extradition treaty, India has renewed its request for extradition of Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and 13 other wanted Indians who have taken refuge in Pakistan.
English daily The News, quoting unnamed Pakistani foreign office officials in Islamabad, said India had sought the extradition of 14 of its nationals figuring in the list of 21 submitted in 2002.
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Terming the list as background material and 'not evidence', the officials said it was still under review. In 2002, Pakistan had said there was no question of extraditing Azhar and Hafeez Saeed as they are Pakistani nationals.
The daily said Pakistan and India, who are once again in the process of reviewing and updating their old lists of wanted criminals, were likely to exchange the lists after preliminary talks on the extradition issue entered a crucial phase.
The newspaper quoted a top government official as saying the extradition treaty with India was being worked out because of 'pressure' from the US government that wanted Islamabad to cooperate with New Delhi on the extradition of certain wanted men.
Also, in an apparent bid to counter the Indian demand for handing over 21 most wanted persons, Pakistan wants to provide New Delhi with its own list of wanted men, the daily said.