Special court dismisses former SECP chief’s plea

Zafarul Haq Hijazi had approached the court to dispose the FIR against him

ISLAMABAD: A special court dismissed on Friday former Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Zafarul Haq Hijazi's application seeking acquittal in a case pertaining to tampering with records of the companies owned by the Sharif family.

Hijazi had filed an application under section 249-a for summary disposal of first information report [FIR] which was dismissed by the court.

Hijazi had alleged that a conspiracy against him was being hatched as there was no evidence against him, noting that a bail had been granted to him based on the grounds as well.

However, special court judge Irum Niazi dismissed the application, observing that there was sufficient evidence to proceed against Hijazi.
The court has been adjourned until November 29 for further presentation of evidence.



On October 27, the special court framed charges against Hijazi over tempering with record of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills owned by the family of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Hijazi had pleaded not guilty after Judge Irum Niazi indicted him under Section 420 (cheating), Section 466 (forgery) and Section 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and section 5(2)(47) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
After the indictment, the special court of the Federal Investigation Agency [FIA] directed the prosecution to start producing evidence and witnesses from the next date of hearing.

The FIA booked Hijazi on the directives of the Supreme Court, which was hearing a case against the Sharif family in connection with the Panamagate case. The case was registered on July 10, 2017 and Hijazi was arrested on July 21. Hijazi has been on bail since August 8.
Previously, the counsel for Hijazi had argued that his client had become a victim of mala fide investigation by the prosecution, adding that the charges framed under the FIR were motivated by enmity, malice and ulterior motives on the part of the prosecution and the prosecution witnesses.



The counsel has argued in the petition that the allegations levelled against Hijazi were false and he never pressurised any official of the SECP to temper with the record, adding that the officials had tempered with the record themselves and accused Hijazi of pressurising them to do so.