ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: President Pervez Musharraf and the US ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin on Tuesday discussed the possible extradition to the United States of the suspected mastermind of the kidnap of murdered American reporter Daniel Pearl, a US spokesman said.

The meeting comes a day after President Bush said Washington wanted to put the British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh on trial in the United States and could use a colonial era treaty to extradite him.

“The ambassador thanked the Pakistan president for the ongoing police cooperation and further movement on the Pearl case,” a US embassy spokesman said in Islamabad.

“The other subject that was raised was the question of extradition,” the spokesman said, adding “there are no details”.

Asked if President Musharraf expressed support for extradition, the spokesman said: “This is an ongoing investigation. There is not a whole lot we can say on this.”

In Washington, law-enforcement officials said the US Justice Department was strongly considering bringing criminal charges in Pearl’s kidnapping and murder.

US officials said Washington considered a 1931 extradition treaty with Britain — then the colonial ruler of the territory on which Pakistan was established in 1947 — was still in effect.

The US embassy spokesman confirmed extraditions from Pakistan to the United States had occurred in the past under the treaty, but declined to give details of the cases.—Reuters

During the meeting between the US envoy and President Musharraf discussion focussed on the President’s recent successful visit to the United States, adds Our Staff Reporter from Islamabad. The continuing Indian military deployment on the borders with Pakistan was also discussed and importance of de-escalation and dialogue between both sides underlined.

The US ambassador thanked the President and the government of Pakistan for the ongoing excellent cooperation on law enforcement including recent investigation of Daniel Pearl case.