ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that a joint investigation team (JIT) be constituted to investigate a fake bank accounts case.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, directed that the JIT will submit a progress report every fortnight after its constitution.
The bench was hearing a case with regard to money laundering of Rs35 billion through fake bank accounts.
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who represented former president Asif Ali Zardari, said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alone can probe this matter, adding that the top court refrained from constituting JITs from 1977 to 2008.
He, however, said the court is empowered to order a transparent probe.
The chief Justice observed that Asif Ali Zardari shouldn’t have an objection to the formation of the JIT as he had remained president of Pakistan and might be entrusted with important responsibilities in future.
Advocate Shahid Hamid, the counsel for Anwar Majeed, a close aide of the former president, also objected to the JIT.
Justice Nisar asked the counsel what barred the top court from appointing a JIT. “This is not a small matter. We will get to know as to who did Rs35 billion in question belong to.”
Did the angels transact that amount into bank accounts, he questioned.
The CJP said a woman informed that she had never seen even an amount of Rs50, 000 at once and asked how did billions of rupees make it to her bank account.
The bench directed the people involved in the case not to leave the country for 15 days until the probe into the case is completed.
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