Govt's interference in high-profile cases: FIA submits report to SC

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has submitted a report to the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the alleged interference of the government’s personalities in the high-profile cases related to the criminal justice system, ARY News reported on Thursday.

In its report, the FIA stated that no government institution including the interior ministry tried to interfere in the independent prosecution of the high-profile case being heard in different courts.

It stated that Farooq Bajwa had been appointed as the prosecutor at the request of the FIA. It added that the names of the suspects are put on the exit control list (ECL) on the recommendations of the government, courts and other institutions.

READ: CJP TAKES SUO MOTU NOTICE OF GOVT’S INTERFERENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

The intelligence agency apprised the court that the government has recently amended the ECL rules and several persons were removed from the no-fly list under the amended rules. The FIA clarified that the names of the nominated persons in the high-profile cases are still included in the ECL.

Moreover, the FIA also submitted the names of the accused persons on ECL to the top court.

On May 19, the Supreme Court had barred the government from the transfer of investigation officers in high-profile cases of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

READ: AFTER SC ORDER, NAB CHAIRMAN BANS TRANSFERS, POSTINGS

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial issued the directives in a suo motu notice which he took against the perceived interference of the government office-bearers in the criminal justice system of the country.

During the hearing, the court directed the FIA, and NAB to seal records of prosecution and investigations in high-profile cases besides also issuing orders against withdrawing any case from the courts until further orders.

The apex court also issued notice to the interior secretary, director-general FIA, chairman NAB, prosecutors, advocate generals, and head of the prosecution departments. The Supreme Court also sought details of the names included and withdrawn from the no-fly list recently.