Karachi (Staff Report): The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday declared former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur absconders in money laundering case.
The FIA submitted challan of the case against Hussain Lawai and other suspects in the court. Besides the PPP co-chairman and his sister, 18 others including chairman of a private bank and Anwar Majid and his son were also declared absconder in the challan.
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice into the FIA’s probe of a Rs35 billion money-laundering scam.
Hussain Lawai, who is a famous banker and Pakistan Stock Exchange Chairman and Asif Ali Zardari’s close aide, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency earlier this month in the money-laundering case.
He is accused of helping to facilitate the opening of 29 ‘fake’ accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Limited.
On July 12, the Supreme Court (SC) denied issuing any order to place the names of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur on the Exit Control List (ECL) in the fake accounts case.
The bench resumed hearing of a suo motu case pertaining to money laundering of Rs35 billion through fake bank accounts.
During the proceedings, the court clarified that the apex court had neither summoned Zardari and Talpur in personal capacity nor issued order to put their names on the ECL .
The Interior Ministry had placed the names of Zardari and his sister Talpur on the ECL on July 11.
Seven individuals, including Zardari and Talpur , were said to be involved in using certain bank accounts for suspicious transactions totalling Rs35 billion.
According to the FIA’s list, the beneficiaries of the account are former president Asif Ali Zardari , his sister, Faryal Talpur , Nasir Abdullah, Omni Polymer Packages, Pak Ethanol Private Limited, Ansari Sugar Mills, Chimber Sugar Mills, Agro Farm Thatta, Parthenon Private Limited, A1 International, Lucky International, Logistic Trading, Royal International and Umair Associate.