FIA shifts Lawai to Islamabad for further investigation

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) shifted banker Hussain Lawai to Islamabad for further investigation in a money laundering probe, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

The FIA team flew from the Karachi's Jinnah International Airport with Lawai at 4pm. The banker will be investigated by senior FIA authorities in the federal capital. Lawai was arrested by the FIA on July 6 on money laundering charges after the FIA registered a case in Karachi last week over Rs35 billion money-laundering scandal. According to FIA officials, 32 people, including Lawai, are being investigated for laundering billions of rupees through 'benami' or fictitious bank accounts.

The scandal also involves former president Asif Ali Zardari and several of his close associates, including sister Faryal Talpur. The Supreme Court has summoned Zardari, among others, on July 12 (Thursday).

On Tuesday, Hussain Lawai was also removed as the chairman of the Pakistan Stock Exchange, according to a notification by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

The SECP had earlier written to PSX CEO Richard Morin stating that it has come to its notice that Lawai has been arrested in an ongoing investigation into money laundering and that in the "interest of the general public and the capital markets", he be removed from his post.