The International Criminal Police Organisation has dropped Pakistan’s extradition request against senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Zulfi Bukhari, marking a significant setback for the interior ministry’s efforts to repatriate exiled and wanted party figures.
The Interpol General Secretariat has confirmed that it has closed its investigation into Bukhari and that he is no longer subject to any Interpol notice or diffusion. The decision comes a month after Interpol issued a similar certification for Moonis Elahi, another senior PTI figure, whom it cleared of corruption-related allegations.
Pakistan’s interior ministry had approached Interpol nearly two years ago, seeking red notices against both leaders. In Bukhari’s case, authorities alleged his involvement in terrorism-related incidents outside the Judicial Complex during court appearances by former prime minister Imran Khan. The ministry also claimed Bukhari played a central role in the Al-Qadir Trust case alongside Bushra Bibi and Khan, and sought his extradition on those grounds.
In a formal letter to Bukhari’s legal team, Interpol stated that, after conducting appropriate checks, it had deleted the information provided by Pakistan from the Interpol Information System. The letter confirmed that Bukhari is currently not subject to any Interpol notice or diffusion, effectively closing the case at the international level.
Last month, Interpol similarly certified that Moonis Elahi, 49, was no longer the subject of any notice or diffusion linked to Pakistan’s request for criminal charges and extradition. Credible sources within Interpol told Geo News that the investigation into Moonis was dropped after the organisation determined there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations raised by Pakistani authorities.
Read: Parvez Elahi Indicted on Corruption Charges in Lahore
The red notices against Bukhari began in mid-2023, while proceedings against Moonis began about a year later. The interior ministry, under Mohsin Naqvi, has repeatedly vowed to bring back individuals sought by the government to face legal proceedings in Pakistan.
Interpol’s decisions have brought significant relief to both Bukhari and Moonis but have dealt a blow to the interior ministry’s campaign. Lawyers representing the two leaders successfully argued before Interpol that the allegations of corruption, murder, and terrorism amounted to political persecution rather than criminal conduct.
When contacted for comment on the latest developments, a spokesperson for the interior ministry declined to respond to questions regarding Interpol’s decisions involving Bukhari and Moonis.
