Kriss suspects set for return to UK

Imran Shahid, his brother Zeeshan and Mohammad Faisal Mustaq were led in shackles into the court in the Pakistani capital yesterday morning flanked by policemen.

Following their appearance, the judge is today expected to give his final consent to the men being extradited, a process which is likely to take a further three weeks.

Strathclyde Police want to question them about the murder of the Glasgow teenager, who was beaten, stabbed and set on fire after being kidnapped by a gang as he walked along Kenmure Street in Pollokshields on 15 March, last year.

Police had been prevented from questioning the men by the lack of a formal extradition agreement between Pakistan and Britain, an obstacle overcome by a one-off deal struck between the two governments.

Wearing casual Western clothes, shorts and flip-flops, the three men were chained together by their wrists when they appeared in court.

As police led him away, Imran Shahid told The Scotsman he was keen to go to court in Scotland to expose injustices he said he has faced since he was accused of the teenager's brutal murder.

"We think we'll get justice there," he said.

He also accused Strathclyde police of "corruption and vendettas" which he said would be exposed during a trial.

"It's generally an institutional thing, but [there are] personal vendettas from singular officers as well," he said.

He said he would claim racism tainted the investigation.

He refused to elaborate further on his allegations against the Scottish force but also alluded to additional grievances about his treatment in Pakistan.

"Things about here will come out as well," he said. "It's hard for us to completely talk at the moment, but all this will come out in the trial."

The other two men refused to comment as they were led away.

The three men were arrested in Pakistan in late June, six months after senior officers from Strathclyde police travelled to the country hoping to track down the suspects.

Local police apprehended the three men in Lahore and near Faisalabad in the Punjab.

A date has yet to be agreed for their return, but it is expected to be within three weeks.

The extradition process, considered a straightforward rubber-stamping exercise, will take at least two weeks after the judge's decision, after which arrangements will need to be made to repatriate the men.

The trio will eventually be handed over to the British authorities at Islamabad airport. When they leave Pakistan, either by chartered or scheduled flight, four British policemen will accompany each suspect.

Daanish Zahid, 20, was jailed for a minimum of 17 years last December for his role in the murder.