Ayyan Ali moves LHC against warrants

LAHORE: Model Ayyan Ali has approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) to revoke her arrest warrants as she wants to appear before a trial court in currency smuggling case.

On March 9, judge of special customs court Arshad Hussain Bhutta had issued perpetual arrest warrants for the model after declaring her a proclaimed offender over prolonged absence from the proceedings in a currency smuggling case.

The court had also ordered for confiscating her assets and producing witnesses before the court on March 16 to record statements.

“The accused has been provided a two-month respite but she did not bother to appear before the court. It should be told whether the notice has been pasted at Ayyan’s residence or not. Bailable and non-bailable arrest warrants against her were also issued. She failed to appear despite incessant summons. The address given by her is of a private society in Karachi,” remarked the judge.

“I want to appear before the custom court to prove my innocence in the case”, Ayyan says in her petition filed through advocate Aftab Ahmed Bajwa.

Article 10-A ensures right of a transparent trial to every citizen of the land, therefore, it is requested to suspend the arrest warrants, she adds in her plea. In March 2015 authorities, acting on a tip-off, arrested her at the VIP lounge of Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad on money laundering charges.