Warrant issued against South Africa-based extortionist in Pak

An anti-terrorism court today issued an arrest warrant against a South Africa-based Pakistani, accused of extorting money from doctors in India and Pakistan.
Hafiz Furqan alias 'Mirza Bhai' is in hiding in South Africa and is wanted for running an extortion racket from South Africa, police said.
Officials say the accused used telephone and email to send extortion letters to doctors in India and Pakistan. Furqan used the assumed name 'Bhai ji' to extort money from doctors in India, Geo News reported.
Furqan created social media accounts using the name Michael Smith Thomas to prey on vulnerable doctors, and received extortion money from victims through money transfer companies, police said.

Police authorities in Pakistan have also contacted Interpol for the arrest of Furqan, whose whereabouts in South Africa have also been tracked down by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the police.
Police have already arrested an accomplice of Furqan from Karachi, while another accomplice Asghar is said to have fled to Dubai, the report said.