Man extradited from Pakistan to Britain, charged over police murder

The collage created on April 13, 2023, shows Pakistani police officers escort to Piran Ditta Khan, arrested in the killing of a British woman police officer, following his court appearance in Islamabad, Pakistan, on January 29, 2020 (left) and Sharon Beshenivsky who died after being shot when trying to stop a gang robbing a travel agent in Bradford, northern England, in 2005. (AP/Online)
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Updated 13 April 2023
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Man extradited from Pakistan to Britain, charged over police murder

  • Piran Ditta Khan has been formally charged with the 2005 murder of a British police constable during a robbery in Bradford
  • The Crown Prosecution Service says it is closely working with Pakistan where Khan was arrested about three years ago

LONDON: A man has been extradited from Pakistan to Britain and formally charged in connection with the 2005 murder of a British police constable, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Wednesday.

Sharon Beshenivsky, 38, died after being shot when trying to stop a gang robbing a travel agent in Bradford, northern England.

Piran Ditta Khan, 74, was taken into custody after arriving in Britain and is set to appear in court on Thursday, the CPS said in a statement.

“Since Piran Ditta Khan was arrested in Pakistan in 2020, our specialist prosecutors have been working closely with our Pakistani partners to complete the legal process in the country so that he could be extradited back to England to face the allegations from almost 20 years ago,” said Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS.

The CPS first authorized charges against Khan in 2006, including, murder, robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. An extradition warrant was submitted in the same year.

In 2009, Mustaf Jama was jailed for life after being found guilty of Beshenivsky’s murder. Five other defendants were convicted in 2006 for their parts in the robbery and killing.


Pakistan’s moon sighting committee to meet tomorrow to sight Ramadan crescent 

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Pakistan’s moon sighting committee to meet tomorrow to sight Ramadan crescent 

  • Committee members visually observe crescent every year to determine dates for Ramadan, Eid festivals in Pakistan 
  • Pakistan’s national space agency has said the Ramadan crescent is likely to be visible in the country on Feb. 18

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central moon-sighting committee will meet in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Wednesday to sight the Ramadan crescent, state media reported as Islamabad gears up for the holy Islamic month. 

Pakistan’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) determines the dates for new Islamic months and Eid festivals by sighting the moon every year. Committee members announce the dates for the Islamic months after visually observing the crescent and receiving testimonies of its sighting from several parts of the country.

“The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet in Peshawar tomorrow for sighting of Ramazan-ul-Mubarak 1447 Hijri moon,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday. 

Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the chairman of the committee, will preside over the meeting. Radio Pakistan said zonal and district RHCs will also meet at their respective headquarters to sight the moon.

Pakistan’s national space agency announced last week that the Ramadan crescent is likely to be visible in the country on Feb. 18 and consequently, the first date of Ramadan is likely to be on Feb. 19. 

Muslims fast from dawn till sunset during Ramadan. This is followed by Eid-ul-Fitr, a religious holiday and celebration to mark the end of Ramadan which is observed by Muslims worldwide.