SHC seeks comments on former PIA MD’s plea against FIA inquiry

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and others on a petition filed by former managing director of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) against the initiation of an inquiry against him pertaining to accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income and transfer of undeclared money abroad.

The petitioner, Mohammad Aijaz Haroon, submitted in his plea that the FIA had initiated an inquiry against him pertaining to accumulation of assets beyond means and transfer of undeclared money to the United Kingdom to purchase properties in his and his family members’ names.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the impugned inquiry was unlawful and ultra vires the FIA’s Act as his client was not a public servant but was in private employment as an agent of the board of directors of the FIA.

He submitted that the complaint was filed by anonymous persons and there was nothing on record to suggest that the FIA haa caused verification of the antecedents of the complainant or in any manner verified the authenticity of the complaint.

The lawyer said that it had been alleged in the complaint that the petitioner had laundered funds without providing any specific details and no such suggestion was made in the complaint that he had illegally procured funds or had remitted the same for criminal purposes.

The counsel submitted that the impugned inquiry was politically motivated as the petitioner was associated with a member of Parliament and leader of political party and persons desiring to suffer damage upon the said member of Parliament were invoking all means possible to do so. The high court was requested to declare the FIA inquiry as illegal and restrain the agency from causing harassment and making arrests in the impugned inquiry.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha after a preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to the FIA and others and called their comments. The court directed the investigation officer to appear before the court along with relevant record on the next hearing.