In Pakistan, a Red Warrant is commonly understood as an Interpol Red Notice, which is an international alert issued by Interpol at the request of a member country, such as Pakistan, for a fugitive wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
Understanding the Interpol Red Notice
An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. It is not an international arrest warrant itself, but rather an international alert that member countries' police can use to take action.
Key characteristics of a Red Notice:
- Purpose: Issued for individuals wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
- Crimes: Relates to serious ordinary law crimes such as murder, rape, fraud, drug trafficking, and terrorism. This follows criminal proceedings in the country issuing the request.
- Global Reach: Circulated to all 196 Interpol member countries, including Pakistan.
- Legal Basis: Based on a valid national arrest warrant issued by the judicial authorities of the requesting country.
- Extradition Focus: Primarily serves as a tool to facilitate the extradition of fugitives from one country to another.
How Red Warrants (Notices) Work in Pakistan
As a member of Interpol, Pakistan actively participates in the global Red Notice system, both in requesting them for fugitives who have fled the country and in acting upon them for individuals found within its borders.
1. Issuing a Red Notice from Pakistan
When a person wanted by Pakistani law enforcement agencies (e.g., the Federal Investigation Agency - FIA) for serious crimes flees abroad, Pakistan can request Interpol to issue a Red Notice against them.
- Process:
- Pakistani judicial authorities issue a national arrest warrant for the individual.
- The FIA, as Pakistan's National Central Bureau (NCB) for Interpol, prepares a request detailing the charges, the individual's identity, and the national warrant.
- This request is submitted to Interpol's General Secretariat in Lyon, France.
- After verification and ensuring compliance with Interpol's rules, Interpol issues the Red Notice, making the individual wanted internationally.
- All Interpol member countries are then alerted to locate and provisionally arrest the fugitive if found.
2. Acting on Red Notices in Pakistan
Conversely, if an individual for whom another Interpol member country has issued a Red Notice is located in Pakistan, Pakistani authorities can take action.
- Process:
- Interpol alerts the FIA about the presence of a Red Notice fugitive in Pakistan.
- Pakistani law enforcement agencies initiate efforts to locate and apprehend the individual.
- Upon arrest, legal proceedings for extradition are typically initiated in Pakistani courts to return the individual to the requesting country.
- The process of extradition is governed by Pakistan's domestic extradition laws and bilateral treaties with other countries.
Key Aspects and Importance
Red Notices play a crucial role in international law enforcement cooperation, especially for countries like Pakistan that often deal with cross-border criminal activities, including terrorism and financial fraud.
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Legal Status | Not an arrest warrant, but a request for provisional arrest based on a national warrant. |
| Scope of Crimes | Limited to serious "ordinary law crimes," excluding political, military, religious, or racial offenses, unless they fall under specific international criminal law or terrorism definitions. |
| Extradition Process | The issuance of a Red Notice is the first step; actual extradition requires a formal request from the demanding state and adherence to the laws and bilateral treaties of the requested state (e.g., Pakistan). |
| Transparency | While some Red Notices are publicly listed on Interpol's website to seek public assistance, many are restricted to law enforcement use only to protect investigations. |
| Challenge Mechanism | Individuals who believe a Red Notice against them is unfounded or politically motivated can challenge it through Interpol's Commission for the Control of Interpol's Files (CCF). |
Other Types of Interpol Notices
While "Red Warrant" refers specifically to a Red Notice, Interpol issues several other types of notices, each serving a distinct purpose:
- Blue Notice: To locate, identify, or obtain information on a person of interest in a criminal investigation.
- Green Notice: To warn about a person's criminal activities if they are considered a potential threat to public safety.
- Yellow Notice: To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to identify persons unable to identify themselves.
- Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.
- Orange Notice: To warn of an event, person, object, or process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.
- Purple Notice: To seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices, and concealment methods used by criminals.
- Interpol-UN Security Council Special Notice: Issued for individuals and entities subject to UN sanctions.
In summary, a Red Warrant in Pakistan is essentially an Interpol Red Notice, a powerful international tool enabling global police cooperation to apprehend fugitives wanted for serious crimes, supporting Pakistan's efforts to bring criminals to justice and cooperate in international law enforcement. For more detailed information on Interpol's notices, you can visit the official Interpol website.
