SHC orders FIA report in cases against CEO Omni

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to file a report on the status of cases against the Omni group CEO, while acting on a petition filed by the Omni Group chief against alleged harassment and registration of cases by the agency.

The petitioner, Anwar Majeed, a close aide of Pakistan People's Party leader and former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, had submitted in his petition that the FIA had registered false cases against him and his family members during an inquiry into a multi-billion-rupee money laundering scam. Majeed, Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others were charge-sheeted by the investigation agency in the scam.

The petitioner asked the court to provide the details of cases pending against him. The FIA’s focal person submitted that the FIA was transferring the case record to the National Accountability Bureau in line with the Supreme Court’s directives and sought time to file the report. The court granting time, adjourned the hearing till February 8.

Meanwhile, the SC on Monday set aside former chief minister’s decision of restoring district education officer, Sukkur, who was removed from service for making illegal appointments in the education department.

Hearing a petition, the SC’s two-member bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, took an exception to the restoration of Abdul Ghaffar Mahar, the former officer of education department, who was removed on the recommendations of the chief secretary on allegations of making illegal appointments in 2015. The court was informed that the sacking orders were withdrawn by the CM in 2016. The court observed how could the CM withdraw the decision without the departmental proceedings and the summary's approval by the competent department. The bench observed that the CM's decision was discriminatory and liable to be set aside. While setting aside the CM's orders, the court issued notices to the chief secretary and Abdul Ghaffar Mahar to file comments.