CJP summons Sindh CM in money-laundering case

KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday summoned Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a case pertaining to money-laundering of billions of rupees through fake bank accounts.  

The chief justice, who headed a larger bench of the apex court, was hearing the case at the Karachi registry.

He issued directives for the chief minister to meet him in his chamber today.

At the outset of the hearing, the CJP remarked that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the money-laundering scam had complained about non-cooperation on the part of the Sindh government in its investigation and asked why he was receiving such complaints.

FIA director general Bashir Memon said the JIT faced difficulties at first but received relevant documents from the department concerned after court’s intervention.

CJP Nisar directed all departments of the Sindh government to extend full cooperation to the probe team and remarked that the JIT head has full freedom to go wherever he wants in connection with the probe.

The top court had constituted the JIT to probe the money-laundering scam involving former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Six members of the JIT, headed by Additional Director General (Economic Crime Wing) FIA Headquarters Ahsan Sadiq, include Commissioner-IR (Corporate Zone) Regional Tax Officer Imran Latif Minhas, Joint Director BID-I State Bank of Pakistan Majid Hussain, Director National Accountability Bureau Noman Aslam, Muhammad Afzal, Director (Specialized Companies Division) Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Brigadier Shahid Parvez of Inter-Services Intelligence.