Pakistani man to be extradited to UK over police officer's killing

A man believed to be the gang leader of a robbery in the UK over 14 years ago in which a police officer was shot dead has been arrested in Pakistan and is to be extradited to face a murder trial in Britain. Piran Dhitta Khan, 71, is believed by UK police to have been behind the raid outside a travel agency in Bradford in 2005 in which West Yorkshire Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky was killed while responding to the armed robbery call.

Khan appeared in court in Islamabad on Wednesday and has been remanded in custody until 29 January as extradition proceedings get underway. "I would like to thank the National Crime Agency officers in Pakistan and partners who have made this arrest possible," said West Yorkshire Police Detective Superintendent Mark Swift.

"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 Khan's extradition with the intention of returning him to the UK to face court proceedings," he said. Beshenivsky was fatally shot when responding to the robbery at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford, on 18 November 2005. The 38-year-old 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.

Her shift partner, West Yorkshire Police Constable Teresa Milburn, was also shot but survived. Three men were jailed for life for her murder, two for manslaughter and West Yorkshire Police said at the time the alleged gang leader Khan had gone on-the-run in Pakistan and was being sought.

A 20,000 pounds reward had also been offered for information leading to his capture.

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