Aggressive tactics? FIA, Rangers to file comments on harassment of Dr Asim’s relative

SHC has been petitioned by NBP official to quash call-up notices issued to him

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Rangers authorities to file their comments regarding the alleged harassment of a relative of Dr Asim Hussain in a remittance case.

Headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, the bench also extended interim pre-arrest bail earlier granted to the senior executive vice-president of the National Bank of Pakistan's (NBP) Remittances Branch, Khalid Bin Shaheen.

Shaheen had approached the court seeking the cancellation of the call-up notices issued to him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the granting of pre-arrest bail.

The petitioner said he is a banker and a relative of Dr Asim Hussain, the former federal minister for petroleum, who is currently under the custody of Sindh Police. Shaheen said an officer of the NBP, who is authorised to coordinate with law enforcement agencies, summoned him to his office on October 1, where the Rangers officials questioned him about the details of remittances availed by Dr Asim.

He told the law enforcers that he had no knowledge of Dr Asim's remittances or properties. On October 19, the Rangers officials summoned him to their office where he was once again questioned for three hours about the remittances and properties of the former petroleum minister on camera. The petitioner said that despite telling the law enforcers that Dr Asim had not remitted a single penny through NBP's exchange company, he received a call up notice from NAB on October 23.

Advocate Haseeb Jamali said NAB served his client a notice without disclosing the particulars of the inquiry, therefore, he apprehends his arrest. He added that the petitioner has also been receiving calls from law enforcement agencies who may take him into custody and shift him to an undisclosed location.

Granting him interim bail on November 4, the bench had called comments from the NAB, FIA and Rangers authorities.

On Thursday, the bench extended Shaheen's bail and directed the FIA and Rangers authorities to file their comments by a date to be later notified by the office.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th,  2015.