Medical examination: IHC tells jail authorities to take Cheema to PIMS

The directions came after the authorities failed to comply with an earlier order

ISLAMABAD: A superior court has directed jail authorities to make arrangements for the medical check up of Shafqat Ali Cheema, a former director of the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

A division bench of Islamabad High Court comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb ordered jail officials to have Cheema medically examined at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

The directions came after the suspect’s counsel informed the court that the authority has yet to comply with an order earlier passed by another bench.

Cheema is in jail for allegedly accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s Additional Deputy Prosecutor General, Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, informed the court that a reference has been filed against the suspect before the accountability court for accumulating assets beyond known means.

Cheema’s counsel argued that an individual cannot be accused merely on the basis of having assets. He said Cheema has other sources of income, including income from agricultural land and from the business of his deceased brother.

Previously, the NAB authorities had maintained that his bank accounts showed higher balance as compared to his income from other business, salary and servicer record. The authority also claimed that Cheema made frequent private tours to Europe and USA in recent years while accompanied by his family.

Reportedly, Cheema was in charge of Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal desk at the foreign ministry. He has also been accused of illegally sending a number of people abroad in exchange for large sums of money.

Following the hearing, the case was adjourned till September 28.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2016.