PM's aide Shahzad Akbar holds meetings at UK's Home Office.

Byline: Atika Rehman

LONDON -- Special AssisAtant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar has arrived in London to meet officials of the UK Home Office, sources said.

Mr Akbar, who is scheduled to return to Pakistan this week, met Home Office officials as part of a 'routine engagement' as he is also adviser to the PM on interior, the sources added.

Mr Akbar is the head of the Asset Recovery Unit, which was formed in October 2019 with a mandate to investigate and bring back looted wealth from overseas nations. His previous visit to the UK was last year, when he was reportedly seen with property tycoon Malik Riaz.

Months later, the UK's National Crime Agency froze and repatriated GBP 190 million worth assets tied to the tycoon after an investigation into his UK assets. The funds have been paid towards Mr Riaz's outstanding Rs450 billion penalty in the Supreme Court case on Bahria Town Karachi.

Mr Akbar's current visit to the UK coincides with the federal government's claim that it has written a letter to UK authorities to extradite former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who it alleges, violated the eight-week bail by staying in London for medical treatment for the past three-and-a-half months.

In the past, it has been said that former finance minister Ishaq Dar as well as Nawaz's son Hussain Nawaz will be extradited from the UK. However, in the absence of an extradition treaty between the UK...