SHC restrains FIA from taking action against Hareem Shah

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday restrained the Federal Investigation Agency from taking any coercive action against TikTok star Hareem Shah in an inquiry on money laundering charges till March 8.

The interim restraining order came on the petition of Hareem Shah against the issuance of FIA notice over her social media video in which she claimed clearing immigration to travel abroad with a large amount of foreign exchange without any check. Hareem Shah submitted that she received a notice from the FIA issued on January 13. The FIA had directed the TikTok star to appear before the investigation agency on January 19 as her video defamed the country and acknowledged the offence of money laundering. She submitted that she came to know through the media that the FIA has also approached private banks to freeze her bank accounts. The TikTok star, who has more than 6.5 million followers on social media sites, submitted that she was currently staying in the UK and has already tendered an apology for the video clip, on different electronic media channels. She submitted that one of her acquaintances in the UK also acknowledged that the money shown in the video belonged to him. She submitted that the Ministry Of Information Technology had also issued directions to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to block her social media accounts although she was paid by different sponsors.

The petitioner's counsel submitted that the FIA's impugned notice was illegal and unlawful which not only caused loss of reputation to his client but also violated her fundamental rights as protected and safeguarded under the Constitution. The counsel submitted that the petitioner wanted to join the FIA inquiry but apprehended arrest or coercive action.

He requested the court to declare the FIA inquiry and impugned notice as unlawful and direct them to not freeze the bank accounts of the petitioner. The petitioner also wanted the restoration of her social media accounts.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha, after the preliminary hearing of the petition, issued notices to the deputy attorney general and FIA’s investigation officer to appear before the court on the next hearing while restraining the FIA from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till March 8.