ISLAMABAD – Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar hinted on Monday at skipping the officials from the spy agencies of Pakistan in the investigation team to probe the money laundering scandal.
A three-member bench, headed by the chief justice, also comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Umar Ata Bandial, was hearing a suo motu case pertaining to Rs35 billion worth shady transactions from and to the account of Zardari Group, a business owned by the former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur.
The chief justice at the last hearing hinted at forming a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) as it was made in the Panamagate case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
During today’s hearing, the top judge asked about the members of Panamagate JIT, to which, the apex court was told that the team was consisting of six members, including officials of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI).
In response, CJP Nisar remarked that spy officials were added to the JIT, which probed financial dealings of Sharif family, for spicing it up.
He added, “Leave officials of ISI or MI, we need a competent person to probe the money laundering scam,” local media reported.
During the hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Bashir Memon revealed that 15 more accounts have been detected which were used for the transaction of Rs6 billion.
Anwar Majeed, head of Omni Group and close aide of Asif Ali Zardari, vowed to defend every transaction before the court. Majeed is a key suspect in the case and is accused of making a shady transaction through different illegal accounts.
The FIA is investigating over 30 people, including Zardari and Talpur, in the money laundering case and former chief of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) Hussain Lawai was also arrested in connection to this probe.
Former president and his sister deny any charges in this regard and have not turned up either before the Supreme Court of before the FIA. Both took oath as lawmakers today for the 15th national Assembly of Pakistan.
