Lady living abroad loses her property to fraudsters

ISLAMABAD: The fraudsters prowling around to locate properties owned by those having settled abroad and pay short visits after prolonged absence from the country have struck once again in Islamabad, this time depriving a lady living in the United States of her precious piece of property located in posh F-8/3 sector of the federal capital.

The Crime Circle of the FIA registered first information report (FIR- 2/19) after thorough investigation against the house grabbing mafia as well as assistant consular of Pakistan in Bahrain under sections 420, 468, 471 PPC r/w 5 (2) 1947 PCA.

Spokesman for the Foreign Office when contacted by this correspondent for the version of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, said, “We always take care and follow stringent procedures while attesting such documents. However, in this case, we have been informed by the FIA that Ashiq Hussain has allegedly signed a bogus Power of Attorney for which they are conducting an investigation. We are still waiting for the report.”

The FIA officers engaged in the investigation of the case, have rounded up the personnel of CDA for investigation into bifurcation of the plot on fake documents, the FIA sources said.

A spokesperson for the CDA, when contacted by The News for their officials version, said, “Since there is criminal investigation pending in the matter, CDA will provide full support and has already provided record for the purpose. Internally the CDA also will look into the matter for parallel proceedings against those found involved.”

The Crime Circle of the FIA, in the light of enquiry, arrested Assistant Consular of Pakistan’s Embassy in Bahrain, Ashiq Hussain Babar who is in jail on judicial remand while the accused Umar Abbasi obtained pre-arrest bail from the court of law on Sept 27, 2019.

Mst Shugufta Tanveer Zafar, an expat Pakistani living in the USA, got the shock of her life when she came to know that her property worth millions of rupees in Pakistan, has been fraudulently transferred and taken over by one Umar Abbasi, using fake Power of Attorney and affidavit prepared in connivance with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials posted in Pakistan’s Embassy in Bahrain.

Having come to know about her loss, Admiral (R) Abdul Aziz Mirza, a relative of Mst Shugufta Tanveer Zafar, daughter of Mohammad Ishaq Zafar, resident of Venetian Way, Panama City, Florida, USA, filed a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) earlier this year (probably February 2019) and after extensive investigations, the FIA formally registered ‘First Information Report’ (FIR) No 02/19 on 30-07-2019 on No: 02/2019 once the crime was established.

Deputy Director Muhammad Bilal of the FIA’s Crime Circle started investigations into the case following receiving the complaint, which lasted almost 7 months.

During the course of investigations, SP Bilal found out that one Umar Abbasi, son of Muhammad Maskeen, resident of Potha Sharif, Tehsil Murree, in connivance with an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ashiq Hussain Babar, posted as Assistant Consular in the Pakistan Embassy in Bahrain verified bogus Power of Attorney and a bogus Affidavit, without physical presence of the owner of the property but confirming that she was present before the Assistant Consular when he attested the documents, which they used to get the property transferred in name of Umar Abbasi. While, recording her statement to the FIA Crime Circle, the owner of the property, Mst Shagufta Tanveer, categorically said that she never visited Bahrain in her life and the FIA confirmed her statement through her travelling documents.

According to the FIA investigations, the bogus Power of Attorney and the Affidavit, purportedly executed by Mst Shugufta Tanveer Zafar, were prepared on 30-10-2017 and 21-11-2017 respectively in favour of Umar Abbasi, which were authenticated by Ashiq Hussain Babar, Consular Assistant based in Pakistan Embassy in Bahrain.

However, the FIA investigations from the US authorities as well as from the Pakistan Embassy in Bahrain revealed that Mst Shugufta Tanveer Zafar had never travelled to Bahrain and even the signatures of the witnesses on Power of Attorney/Affidavit have been found fake. The thumb impression affixed on the Affidavit also does not match with the thumb impression of Mst Shugufta Tanveer Zafar.

The FIA investigations concluded that the accused Umar Abbasi has prepared bogus Power of Attorney and Affidavit in connivance with Aashiq Hussain Babar, Consular Assistant who with mala fide intent attested bogus Power of Attorney and Affidavit in violation of procedure requiring attendance of executants and witnesses for attestation.

The FIA investigator concluded, “Prime facie, a case is made out against accused Umar Abbasi and Aashiq Hussain Babar son of Piyaro Khan, Assistant Director Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, resident of House No 105, St No 05, Rawal Town, Islamabad for offences 420, 468, 471 PPC/r/w 5(2) 1947 PCA. The role of other persons, if any, will be thrashed out during the course of investigation. I shall investigate the case. Mohrrar of the Circle has been directed to send copies of FIR to quarters concerned.

The FIA said in the report that the department concerned of CDA was also found involved in the case, adding that member Estate ordered in writing to transfer the plot but the deputy director raised objection and resisted for bifurcation of the plot.

FIA when contacted by this scribe to know the latest position of the case, said, “First information report (FIR) has been registered against Umar Abbasi and Ashiq Hussain Babar. Ashiq Hussain Babar has been arrested and he is in jail on judicial remand. Umar Abbasi is on pre-arrest bail for which next date of hearing is October 11, 2019. Record of bifurcation of plot has been obtained from CDA and relevant personnel of CDA are being interrogated.”