Imran rejects ex-FIA chief’s claims as ‘baseless’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday rejected explosive claims made by former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general Bashir Memon regarding probes against Justice Qazi Faez Isa and opposition leaders as “baseless” but clarified he had asked the latter to investigate PML-N lawmaker Khawaja Asif’s foreign work permit.

In a conversation with senior journalists here, the Prime Minister was quoted by Geo News as saying: “All the claims made by Bashir Memon are baseless. I have never directed him to initiate investigations or file any cases against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.”

He also said the decision to investigate Khawaja Asif’s case was taken by the federal cabinet, and he had asked Memon to investigate whether the country’s former defence minister was holding a foreign resident permit and receiving a salary from foreign sources.

The Premier said Memon was not even authorised to file references against a Supreme Court judge, “so why would I ask him to do so in the first place?”

Responding to a question, the Premier also said he had not asked Memon to file any cases against opposition leaders Maryam Nawaz or anyone else from the PML-N or the PPP. “I have never asked [the FIA] to file a terrorism case against Maryam Nawaz regarding the photograph of the first lady,” the Premier maintained.

On Tuesday night, the former DG FIA, while speaking on the Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, had once again said he was asked by Prime Minister himself to file cases against Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa and other opposition leaders during his tenure as the FIA’s director-general.

Memon had said Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar had also wanted him to proceed against Justice Isa on money laundering charges. Naseem and Akbar issued denials and the latter sent a legal notice to Memon demanding an apology for the “slanderous” remarks.