Supreme Court issues show cause notices to FIA officials

ISLAMABAD  : The Supreme Court has served the show cause notices to three officials including DG FIA in Hajj corruption case.

A six-member larger bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ghulam Rabbani resumed the hearing of Hajj corruption case on Friday.

Court rejected the investigation report of newly appointed investigation officer Muhammad Manzoor and maintained that no progress have been made in the case so far, adding that no one is taking interest in an important case, which caused to earn bad image all over the world for Pakistan.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General (DG) Malik Muhammad Iqbal, FIA former Additional Director General (ADG) Syed Javed Ali Bukhari and former FIA Director Hussain Asghar were served on show cause notices on separation themselves from the investigation of Hajj Corruption case.

The director legal FIA Azam Khan reading the application of Javed Bukhari which he forwarded to the DG for separation from the investigation of Hajj Scam; informed the court that Javed Bukhari stated that SC has shown dissatisfaction on him so he is not interested in further investigation.

Director Legal FIA Azam further informed the court the second official Hussain Asghar was separated from the investigation on the letter of the DG FIA.
Meanwhile the reply of DG FIA Malik Iqbal was also read before the court in which he said that the actions taken by him were ignorance and in good faith and he leave himself on the mercy of the court.

The court observed that by giving this statement DG has admitted his mistake adding that if an official admits that he has failed to perform his duties and he could not satisfied the court, it means the official is incompetent and he has no justification to hold the office.

Court observed that DG instead of assistance the investigative offices helped in separation from the investigation, so he has to reply that if an official requests that he could not conduct the inquiry, whether his request would be accepted.

Court said that if such applications would be accepted than who would conduct inquiries in corruption cases, adding that why court should not proceed against such officials. The CJP said that whenever probe initiated against an influential man, officials have been transferred.

Court said that no probe has been made against the Zain Iftikhar Sukhera, Shagufta Jumani former state minister for religious affairs, main accused Ahmed Faiz building supervisor in Saudi Arabia and Rao Shakil former DG Hajj operation after the transfer of the both officials. CJ said that Hussian Asghar collected the evidence against Shagufta Jumani but no one has taken against any person who is involved in this corruption.
Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq informed the court that a summary was sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for the return of the FIA DG and the ADG.

He said that due to his engagements the prime minister could not sign the summary and the Establishment Division was waiting for the summary’s return.

The CJP said that the FIA DG was responsible for those transfers and the court would ask him why he tried to impede the court’s proceedings and why an action was not taken against former state minister for religious affairs Shagufta Jumani when a statement of getting kick backs was recorded against her.

The FIA director legal said that Saudi government did not provide concrete evidence against Jumani. The CJP remarked that Saudi Arabia was not a country where everything was handed over to others.

Secretary Establishment Abdul Rauf Chaudhry and senior counsel Abdul Hafeez peerzada also appeared before the court. Court adjourned the hearing of case till May 27. SANA