Marriyum claims Imran asked ex-DG FIA to file terror case against Nawaz, Maryam

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan pressurised former director-general (DG) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Bashir Memon to file a terrorism case against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Capt Safdar.

"The prime minister abused the power of the state," said Aurangzeb, adding that the registration of a treason case against the PML-N leadership was “clear evidence” of the fact.

She alleged that the prime minister called Memon to his office and asked him why it was that no case had been filed against the Sharif family, adding that he asked the ex-DG FIA to file a terrorism case against Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt Safdar. Ms Aurangzeb alleged that Memon was asked to file a case against Khwaja Asif under Article 6 of the Constitution. She said that he protested and asked how he could do such a thing when there was no evidence to pursue a case.

She said the former DG FIA refused to pursue such cases “after which the NAB-Niazi nexus was formed”.

The PML-N stalwart said that Memon, in his recent interview with journalist Matiullah Jan “revealed many things” and that his claims have “proved the opposition is right”.

She said that when Memon asked that Rs87 billion be taken back from K-Electric, the prime minister got annoyed.

“Where there was proof, no inquiry was done and where there was no evidence, a case in such instances was asked to be pursued,” she alleged.

Ms Aurangzeb demanded that the prime minister step down and a case of violation of Article 62 and 63 be launched against him.

She demanded that security be provided to the former FIA director-general and that Hamza Shahbaz be released.

“If our demands are not met, then they will have to face action by the PDM.

“The government has to leave after four months; these hired representatives must start packing their bags now,” she said.

Ms Aurangzeb said that since the past four or five days, cases against the opposition had been on the rise. “Charges of treason are being put, cases are being filed and then these are being defended.”

She said that the treason case filed yesterday against the PML-N includes the name of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. “And then they say they didn’t register any case against the AJK premier,” she added.

She said that according to Section 196 of the Penal Code, no treason case can be filed without the consent of the government.

“The current government is a fascist regime,” she claimed.

“It is the prime minister against whom a treason case should have been registered.”

Aurangzeb remarked that nothing had come of the foreign funding case that the ruling party is embroiled in, claiming that the director-general of the FIA has been asked to shut it down.

Aurangzeb said that the duration of a leader’s appointment will be decided in the next PDM meeting.

Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: Bashir Memon in an interview on Tuesday alleged that in last days of his service, he was asked by the incumbent highest office in the government to register terrorism case against Maryam Nawaz and also book Shahbaz Sharif, his family members and other PML-N leaders in different cases.

“I was summoned to the “highest office” and was told to file a terrorism case against members of Maryam Nawaz’s social media cell after a picture of the first lady was circulated on social media,” Bashir Memon said.

Bashir Memon said there was a picture on social media, regarding which they said that a terrorism case should be filed and it was a picture of the first lady.

Asked as to who directed him to file a terrorism case, Memon said that he was summoned by the “highest office in Pakistan”.

He also said that the government also wanted FIA to pursue corruption cases against Shahbaz Sharif, his sons and his entire family including his relatives.

Asked why he refused to pursue those cases, he said, “There were two reasons. One, I did not have the inquiries. Second, this was the mandate of the provincial anti-corruption department.”

He said that he had served as the Inspector General of police in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where he served under current Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and Chaudhry Majeed before that. Nawaz had interviewed him for the post, Memon said, and added during his tenure as IGP, he had met the former premier a few times on his visits to the region as part of protocol. He was appointed as FIA DG when Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was in office as the prime minister, Memon said adding that he had only met him once. “He never called, he never summoned and never gave me a task,” Memon said.