ISLAMABAD – A court on Friday indicted Zafar Hijazi, former chairman of Security and Exchanges Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in record-tampering case, initiated in the light of Supreme Court orders in Panamagate case.
The case was heard by Special Judge Irum Niazi, who read the charge sheet in the presence of Hijaz, accusing him of tampering with the record of Chaudhry Sugar Mills, owned by ruling Sharif family.
The charge sheet adds that the former SECP chief exerted pressure on lower staff to change the record of the Sharif family’s mill.
However, Hijazi denied the allegation of tampering with the record.
On July 10, the apex court ordered the registration of a criminal case against the chairman of SECP for breaching the law.
The apex court had remarked that Zafar Hijazi intentionally obstructed justice and ordered registration of case immediately.
Justice Aijazul Ahsan had expressed that SECP chairman initially denied the allegations regarding record tampering and then said he was not aware of the tampering.
The order pertaining to SECP chairman was issued as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) found him guilty of tampering with the record, in favour of ruling Sharif family.
The FIA team submitted a 28-page inquiry report to the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday, in which it endorsed the stance of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the offshore assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panamagate case.
The Panamagate JIT had also told the SC that not only have some governmental departments shown reluctance in handing over the relevant records required for their investigation, but some records had also been tampered with.
