Money laundering scam: 'Publicizing JIT report wont make any difference to case'

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law Barrister Farogh Naseem on Friday assured that publicizing Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report will not make any difference to the ongoing mega money laundering case.

The minister was speaking to reporters on the aftermath of JIT report’s disclosure. He said the “process of accountability should go on the way it is going.” The names could be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) without taking an account from the suspects, the law minister further told the media.

Unveiling the JIT report will not affect the case as the suspect has all rights to defend himself, he remarked, adding that people are put on no-fly list when there is a suspicion that the accused may flee abroad.

Earlier today, the federal government placed the names of Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur and 169 others on the ECL over their alleged involvement in fake bank accounts and money laundering cases.

Other accused whose names have been placed on the ECL include Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, PPP leaders Sohail Anwar Siyal, Imtiaz Sheikh, Ali Hassan Zardari, Manzoor Kaka, Sohail Rajput, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed, and his son Nimar Majeed.

Former National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) president Syed Ali Raza and top officials of the Sindh Bank, including Bilal Sheikh, Ahsan Shiekh, and Sarwat Azeem, also face the travel ban.