A man sought in connection with the murder of a PC shot dead during a robbery has been arrested in Pakistan. Piran Dhitta Khan, 71, had been wanted by officers investigating the fatal raid.
West Yorkshire officer Sharon Beshenivsky was killed outside a travel agency in Bradford in 2005 while responding to an armed robbery call.
Det Supt Mark Swift, said:
I would like to thank the National Crime Agency in Pakistan and partners who have made this arrest possible.
This is a major development in this long-running investigation and their assistance in this matter cannot be understated.
We are continuing to liaise with partners in Pakistan to process Mr Khan’s extradition with the intention of returning him to the UK to face court proceedings.
Khan appeared in court in Islamabad where extradition was discussed. He was remanded in custody until 29 January.
PC Beshenivsky, 38, had only been an officer for nine months when she was shot in the chest on what was her youngest daughter Lydia’s fourth birthday.
She was a mother of three and stepmother of two children. Mustaf Jama, 29, who denied murder, was convicted after a retrial at Newcastle Crown Court. A judge told him he would spend at least 35 years in prison.
Five other men have already been convicted in connection with her death.
They include Jama’s younger brother Yusuf and gang boss Muzzaker Shah, who is thought to have fired the shot which killed Pc Beshenivsky.
Brian Booth, chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation, said:
“I know my colleagues within West Yorkshire are delighted to hear about the arrest of Piran Dhitta Khan and will now be watching closely the wheels of justice turning in this case and how this plays out.
The murder of Sharon and the attempted murder of her colleague PC Teresa Milburn sent a shockwave not only through West Yorkshire but throughout the world.
We still mourn the loss of Sharon and I wish to pass on my thanks, on behalf of my West Yorkshire colleagues, to the National Crime Agency in Pakistan for making this arrest possible.”
Unity News Network (UNN) Staff Writer | To find out more details about our staff, please head to the About Us section on our website.
