On Tuesday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued an order prohibiting the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from implementing any disciplinary measures against Khadija Shah, a woman leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and a prominent fashion designer, who is currently under arrest. The FIA initiated a money laundering investigation against Khadija Shah, a challenge mounted by the fashion designer in the High Court yesterday.
s. The petition contended that Khadija Shah had been arrested in various cases, securing bail only to face subsequent arrests in new cases.
The petition argued that the FIA’s money laundering inquiry was malicious and conducted against the law. Khadija Shah urged the court to declare the money laundering investigation as illegal. A hearing was conducted today in the Lahore High Court regarding Khadija Shah’s petition challenging the FIA’s money laundering inquiry.
During the hearing, Khadija’s lawyer, Samir Khosa, informed the court that the FIA had not received any complaints in this regard, emphasizing that it was not a First Information Report (FIR) but a suo motu inquiry. Khosa highlighted five irregularities in the inquiry, stating that there was no complainant, Khadija Shah was granted bail in four cases, subsequently arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), and then taken to Quetta.
Khosa pleaded for a temporary stay in the inquiry and requested that the parties be restrained from re-arresting Khadija Shah. The court adjourned the case’s hearing until December 22, maintaining the restriction on the FIA from taking disciplinary action.