KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued notices on Tuesday to summon the former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, in relation to a Rs35 billion money laundering scam.
Zardari and Talpur are summoned tomorrow on 10am, that is July 11, to record their statements in the case. FIA Inspector Muhammad Ali has asked the siblings to appear before FIA’s State Bank Circle in Karachi.
On Supreme Court orders the names of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman and his sister were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL)
Last week, the FIA registered a case in Karachi over a money laundering scandal of Rs35 billion, implicating 32 people, ranging from politicians, businessmen to Bankers. The agency has already arrested chairman Stock Exchange of Pakistan Hussain Lawai, who is considered to be a close friend of Zardari.
Meanwhile, the team headed by Additional DG FIA Dr Najaf Mirza will comprise of seven-member joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the matter. Seven members of the JIT are, Director FIA Punjab Dr Usman Anwar, Director FIA Sindh Muneer Ahmed Sheikh, Additional Director Banking Circle Karachi Faizullah Korejo, Deputy Director FIA Sindh Ali Mardan Khoso and two deputy directors of FIA Punjab, Chaudhry Mohammad Ahmed and Khalid Anis.
The FIA initiated the inquiry when in January the financial monitoring unit of the State Bank of Pakistan generated a suspicious transaction report regarding ten bank accounts. From 2013 to 2015, over 20 ‘benami’ accounts were opened at private banks through which transactions worth billions were made.
According to FIA, the money was gathered through illicit means. And despite transactions worth millions and billions, the banks never reported the matter to the concerned authorities.
While the apex court has summoned seven holders of fake bank account and 13 beneficiaries on July 12, the Supreme Court also ordered to place the names of heads of three private banks involved in the scandal on the ECL.