The Islamabad High Court on Thursday restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from “harassing” former senator and prominent human rights defender Farhatullah Babar.
FIA Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) opened an inquiry against Babar in March over alleged “corruption, tax evasion and illicit asset accumulation”. Babar appeared before the FIA in Islamabad on March 28 to respond to the notice over a complaint filed by a citizen named Touseef Abbas in Rawalpindi.
The senator, who is the head of PPP’s Human Rights Cell, filed a writ petition through lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha with the Ministry of Interior and FIA as respondents, urging the court to quash an anti-corruption inquiry filed against him and restrain the agency from harassing or arresting him.
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the case today on a petition filed by Babar under Article 199 of the Constitution, one that grants high courts the power to issue writs to enforce fundament rights.
The petitioner’s counsel told the court that Babar was being repeatedly issued “vague, illegal notices and summons.” The lawyer told the court that the FIA’s inquiry was initiated on March 25 on the complaint of a citizen whom the petitioner does not know, accusing him of suspected corruption, tax evasion, and acquiring illegal assets.
The former playmaker appeared before the FIA on March 28, but was not provided with a copy of the complaint, the lawyer said. “On April 11, 2025, he was sent a detailed questionnaire consisting of 12 questions via WhatsApp, and asked to submit the answers by April 7, 2025 (after the deadline),” the lawyer added.
The court adjourned the hearing until the last week of June and “restrained the FIA from harassing Babar.” The court also issued notice to the FIA and other respondents and asked them to submit their replies. Babar had filed a writ petition in the IHC alleging that the FIA’s conduct was “unlawful, illegal, arbitrary, and mala fide”. The petition called the anti-corruption inquiry against him a baseless “fishing expedition” designed to harass a critic of state institutions.
Babar claimed he received no details of allegations, complaint copies, or legal basis for the probe despite repeated requests. He said the first notice of March 27, 2025, demanded his appearance within 24 hours without specifying charges, and a 12-point questionnaire dated March 28 was sent via WhatsApp on April 11 with the deadline four days earlier.
Babar asserts the FIA’s actions target his human rights advocacy, highlighting his decades-long advocacy, including efforts to regulate intelligence agencies. The petition requested the court to quash the inquiry and all related notices and sought direction from FIA to disclose allegations, documents, and legal basis for the probe.
Babar – a three-term senator, Hilal-i-Imtiaz recipient, and council member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) – last held office in 2013 and served as spokesperson to President Asif Ali Zardari.