FIA presses Supreme Court for high-profile JIT in money laundering case

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) asked the Supreme Court of Pakistan to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) authorized to probe into the money laundering through fake bank accounts.

Resuming the hearing of the case on Tuesday, the apex court received a report by the FIA detailing the transaction through the 29 bank accounts allegedly used to launder Rs 35 billion abroad.

The top court also rejected a plea to shift Abdul Ghani Majeed (AG Majeed) from jail to hospital, in the pretext of his medical condition.

Chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar also passed harsh comments during the hearing, saying the co-accused should be provided medical care, however, piles was not so serious ailment.

Shahid Hamid, the counsel for AG Majeed asked the apex court to permit the meeting between the co-accused and his lawyer, however, the plea was also turned down.

'No need to hold a meeting with the counsel, a proper treatment should be provided instead,' remarked the top judge.

AG Majeed is the son of Anwar Majeed, a business tycoon and close confidant of former president Asif Ali Zardari; they were arrested from the premises of the Supreme Court after being directed to appear before it.

A day earlier, Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Farya Talpur appeared before the Islamabad office of FIA and recorded their statement. The duo turned up on fourth notice by the agency.

The apex court is likely to decide today whether to form a JIT, in the same fashion as the Panama Papers case, or to keep investigating the case on its own.