SC issues notices in Axact case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the attorney general for Pakistan and Sindh advocate general on pleas of M/s Axact private limited.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, resumed hearing into the plea of Axact, challenging the freezing of the company accounts and vires of Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010.

Appearing on notice Abid S Zuberi, counsel for Axact, contended that Sindh High Court (SHC) had allowed his client to operate the office conditionally after freezing the company’s account. 

He submitted that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had taken servers and record of his client’s company, adding that the agency officials were still present in the Axact offices while employees of the company could not enter the premises.

He pleaded the court to allow them access to the company’s building. Justice Dost Mushammad Khan, another member of the bench, observed that the company can operate its property to a limited level; however, it could not be allowed to have access to computers, laptops and suspicious data.

The counsel contended that they should be at least allowed access to the company’s building but the court observed that this matter could be taken up later on. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.