ISLAMABAD: The brother-in-law of former federal minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday for his bail.
Abdullah Khokhar was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on December 21 on charges of corruption in the 2010 Hajj scam. A local tour operator and resident of Rawalpindi, Raja Tariq Mahmood, had filed an FIR against him for receiving Rs200,000 from him in advance after agreeing to send 110 pilgrims for Hajj.
Khokhar has been in Adiala jail for the past two months.
Making the federal government as respondent, his lawyer Muhammad Kashif Saeed said a false case had been registered against him on December 13. He told the court that his client was innocent and had no link with the scandal.
On February 1, Special Judge Rawalpindi Muhammad Masroor Zaman had dismissed Khokhar’s bail application. His lawyer, however, argued that the offences against his client, including Section 163, 420 Pakistan Penal Code PPC, are bailable, and requested the court to grant him post arrest bail.
Justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi of (IHC) issued a notice to the state and sought comments by February 17.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had sacked former federal minister for religious affairs in connection with the Hajj scandal after the Supreme Court took Suo motto notice of the issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2011.
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