Pakistan Can Prosecute Crimes Committed Abroad: Lahore High Court

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that if a person commits a crime abroad that is also considered an offense in Pakistan, legal action can be taken against them within the country.

Justice Tanzeer Ahmed Sheikh issued this verdict while hearing the bail application of accused Muhammad Irshad. According to the detailed judgment, the petitioner has been running a gold jewelry business in Oman since 1992, and the accused had been working for him for the past four years.

The petitioner stated that he gave 23,600 Omani Rials to the accused to purchase a diamond ring and gold, but instead, the accused transferred the amount to his and his wife’s bank accounts in Pakistan before fleeing from Muscat to Pakistan.

The court noted that the accused’s defense lawyer argued that legal proceedings are already underway in Oman and that a person cannot be prosecuted for the same offense in two places. However, the ruling clarified that if an individual has not been convicted or acquitted in a foreign court, Pakistan can still take legal action.

Since only a case has been registered in Oman and no verdict has been given, the FIA was justified in arresting the accused upon his arrival in Pakistan.

As a result, the Lahore High Court dismissed the accused’s pre-arrest bail plea, confirming that legal proceedings within Pakistan are valid in such cases.