LHC directs FIA to unfreeze bank accounts of ex-Ogra chairperson

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to unfreeze all bank accounts of former chairperson of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Uzma Adil Khan and sought a compliance report.

Uzma has approached the LHC, challenging the FIA order pertaining to freezing of her bank accounts after registration of FIRs in the wake of an artificial shortage of petroleum products during the first half of 2020. Her counsel Barrister Momin Malik contended that his client is being saddled with criminal liability by the FIA through different FIRs and some ongoing inquiries.

He questioned the jurisdiction of the FIA to take cognizance of the matter in the wake of the provisions of the Ogra ordinance 2002, which he said had an overriding touch upon the FIA Act 1974.

The counsel said the petitioner did not know how many FIRs had been lodged and in how many inquiries she was required to appear before the agency. He said the FIA action abridged the right of the petitioner to approach the court for protection of law and due process guaranteed under the Constitution.

He argued that the FIA took action against his client on the Petroleum Commission's report and froze her bank accounts. He pointed out that the accounts were not restored despite the court order and pleaded that the contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against the FIA director. Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar deferred the hearing till December 16 and directed the FIA to furnish a compliance report.