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Attempts to track down a man who took a flight to Pakistan after being charged with raping a child are still being made, say police.

Back in November, Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard that Wajid Qayyum had been charged with four counts of raping a child, two counts of sexually assaulting a child and four counts of rape.

But Qayyum didn’t turn up to court to enter pleas for the offences dating back to 2009.

Qayyum’s solicitor, Kashif Khan, told District Judge Kristina Harrison that his client had travelled to Pakistan for medical treatment for a “long standing health issue”.

Judge Harrison issued a warrant for Qayyum’s arrest saying: “He shouldn’t have been out of the country.

“These are extremely serious allegations. He should be here in court, not somewhere in Pakistan.”

She added: “Bear in mind these are allegations of serious sexual offences against a real victim.

“There has got to be open public justice.”

But almost two months after Mr Khan told Judge Harrison that he expected his client to return to the UK, the 35-year-old’s whereabouts remain unclear.

Today, Cleveland Police confirmed the investigation to trace him was ongoing.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Extensive inquiries are being carried out to establish the whereabouts of Wajid Qayyum.

“This is a sensitive investigation and at this stage no more details can be released.”

There is no bilateral extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan and the process involved in transferring suspects is complex.

Much of the process takes place at a ministerial level with assistance and guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service.

It involves the UK Government negotiating with the Pakistani Government, which is done through the Home Office.

Between January 1 2010 and December 31 2015 there were no extraditions from Pakistan to the UK.

However in May last year, a man charged with a double murder in Bradford was extradited to the UK despite the lack of a formal extradition treaty.

The Gazette has contacted the Home Office for comment.