A man was arrested in Pakistan, the West Yorkshire police announced who was pursued by British police in relation to the murder of Constable Sharon Beshenivsky.
“Piran Ditta Khan, 71, was arrested yesterday (Tuesday) in Pakistan and has appeared at a court in Islamabad today (Wednesday) where matters relating to his extradition were discussed,” the UK police force said in a statement.
PC Beshenivsky was fatally shot when responding to a robbery at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford on November 18, 2005.
“I would like to thank the National Crime Agency officers in Pakistan and partners who have made this arrest possible,” Detective Superintendent Mark Swift was quoted as saying in the police statement.
“This is a major development in this long running investigation and their [Pakistan’s] assistance in this matter cannot be understated,” he said.
“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.”
In connection with the murder of PC Beshenivsky, six men were previously convicted and sentenced.
Shooting was also performed by PC Beshenivsky’s shift partner Teresa Milburn, but he survived.
In his address to the BBC, Paul, the husbrel of Beshenivsky, said he was “glad” about the arrest news.
“It’s been a long time coming. It’s just a matter of getting closure within what happened in 2005,” he said.
West Yorkshire Police had previously said Khan was believed to be on the run in Pakistan and was being sought. A £20,000 reward had been offered for information leading to his capture.
