FIA told to explain businessman’s

‘harassment’ in money laundering case

Karachi

The Sindh High Court issued notices to the interior ministry, the Federal Investigation Agency and others on Tuesday on the petition of a businessman against his harassment during an inquiry into a $2.248 million money laundering case.

The petitioner, Mian Mohammad Abdullah, the chief executive of the Pakland Housing and the Sonax Housing, submitted that he had been harassed by the FIA under the garb of an inquiry into money laundering charges.

He submitted that he had no links to the bank accounts of the companies or land but FIA officials wanted to implicate him in the money laundering scam.

The FIA had initiated inquiry against the petitioner and Shamim Mushtaq Siddiqui following the death of Tariq Mohsin Siddiqui of the Pakland Group under foreign money laundering, criminal breach of trust, fraud and cheating charges.

It was alleged that petitioner and other suspect had taken possession of property comprising 11 companies and 13 lands by the way of transferring them from the name of the directors of the companies to their names using fake documents and signatures. They also had the company’s shares transferred to their names.

It was alleged that suspects shifted the money abroad, particularly to Switzerland, through Dubai by using the illegal method of hundi and hawala and then deposited it in a bank, the Julious Baer & Co Zurich in Switzerland.

The FIA alleged that the suspects had returned the money - $2,248,000 from Switzerland to the private bank accounts of Misbah Karim and Miftah Karim in Karachi, London and Dubai.

A sessions court has already granted permission to the FIA to obtain necessary information and record from the banks concerned.

The court issued notices to deputy attorney general, the FIA and others for January 4 with directives to the inquiry officer to appear along with relevant record.

The court the official respondents to conduct themselves strictly in accordance with the law and ensure that neither is the petitioner harassed or intimidated nor any illegal action taken against him.

Plea for governor rule

The Sindh High Court reissued notices to the federal and provincial law officers and others on Tuesday on a petition seeking the imposition of governor rule in the province so that Rangers, whose powers had been curbed by the provincial government, could continue protecting citizens without any hurdles.

The petitioner, Moulvi Iqbal Haider, submitted that Rangers were performing their duties to curb terrorism and restore the law and order situation in the province especially in Karachi.

During investigation, Rangers discovered that a former federal minister and other high profile political figures including Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders were involved in abetting terrorists as well as corruption and arrested them.

However, the petitioner submitted, the Sindh government, to prevent the exposure of corrupt practices and activities, too the matter of extending the term of Rangers’ special policing powers to the provincial assembly even though these decision were made using executive powers earlier and had now made it compulsory for the paramilitary force to seek the chief minister’s permission before arresting a high-profile figure.

The petitioner submitted that the citizens of Karachi had started feeling secure after the crackdown on criminals launched by Rangers and police.

He submitted that many provincial ministers and influential government servants were involved in corruption. Many former provincial ministers as well as sitting ones had obtained protective bail from courts in many corruption cases.

The petitioner alleged that Rangers’ credibility had been damaged by curbing their powers and this move would also encourage corruption.

The court was requested to declare that the president of Pakistan is empowered to issue a proclamation in terms of Articles 234 of the Constitution as the constitutional machinery had failed in Sindh and the provincial government was protecting corrupt politicians, officials or mediators involved in abetting terrorist and restraining Rangers from taking transparent and equal action against them.

The court repeated notices to the government law officer and directed the petitioner to submit a copy of the petition to the federal law officer by January 6.

Separately, the court adjourned the hearing of a petition till January 5 that sought directives to the federal government to delegate all powers and authority to Rangers to curb terrorism, militancy, facilitation of terrorism and corruption in the province.

Haider, the petitioner in this case too, submitted that the provincial assembly had adopted a resolution in the assembly to curtail Rangers’ policing powers whereas the paramilitary force was performing its duties under the law and the National Action Plan to curb terrorism.

He submitted that provincial assembly had resolved that Rangers would only have powers with respect to dealing with cases of target killing, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and sectarianism and any person, who is not directly involved in terrorism and only suspected of abetting terrorists, would not be placed under preventive detention under any law without the written approval of the chief minister.

He submitted said that according to the resolution, Rangers could not raid any office of government without the approval of the chief secretary. He said the impugned resolution was amount to curtailing the powers of the Rangers just to protect political and government figures who were involved in corruption. He added that such an act was against the spirit of National Action Plan against terrorism.