Daily Times

The Supreme Court on Saturday ordered that Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed, his son Abdul Ghani Majeed and Pakistan Stock Exchange former chairman Hussain Lawai, who are in custody in connection with a money laundering case, be shifted to Islamabad, a private TV channel reported.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard a case against fake bank accounts that were used to launder billions out of country at the Lahore registry.

During the hearing, Majeed’s counsel repeatedly requested that he be investigated in Karachi. However, the chief justice dismissed the request and ordered that Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed and Hussain Lawai be shifted to Islamabad. “Anwar Majeed should be shifted to PIMS Hospital and his son and Lawai to Adiala Jail,” the chief justice said. “These people are influential and wield power in Karachi. They should be shifted to Islamabad so that an independent investigation can be carried out,” he said. “After the investigation is complete, we will see whether they should be shifted back to Karachi,” he added.

On a request by Majeed’s counsel for investigations to be held in Karachi, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said, “Your insistence is giving the impression that there is another reason behind it.” The chief justice said, “If Anwar Majeed cannot travel on a normal plane, then send an air ambulance for him.”

During the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Bashir Memon informed the court, “Anwar Majeed is not cooperating in the inquiry.” To this, the chief justice remarked, “The joint investigation team (JIT) has now been given full authority and a report should be presented within 10 days. We formed a JIT to probe how many earned through kickbacks was whitened.”

Majeed’s counsel told the bench, “Omni Group owes Rs 1.2 billion to Silk Bank, Rs 1.8 billion to Summit Bank, Rs 4.98 billion to National Bank and Rs 4.6 billion to Sindh Bank. This amount will be paid back in the form of property.” At this, the JIT said, “Omni Group is telling rates higher than the market value of its property.” The chief justice said, “Heads of all the banks should submit affidavits regarding prices of the properties.”

During the hearing, the counsel of missing persons said that two witnesses who appeared before the JIT in connection with the fake accounts case have been missing and should be recovered. The chief justice responded, “Ask the Sindh chief minister or his boss to recover them. Are you understanding what I am saying?”

The FIA is investigating 32 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts.

Published in Daily Times, November 18^th 2018.