Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for NTS director

Dr Haroon Rasheed failed to appear before the court for the hearing of money laundering case

RAWALPINDI: The Special Customs Court on Saturday issued non-bailable warrant for the arrest of Dr Haroon Rashid, the absconding director of the National Testing Service (NTS), with orders to produce him before the court on the next hearing.

Six top NTS officials, including the chairman, are accused of laundering money worth more than Rs3.6 billion.

The prosecutor of the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation Inland Revenue, Muhammad Amin Feroze told the court that the investigation unearthed 15 more bank accounts in the name of the accused.

He said the NTS building in Islamabad was also built with the laundered money. He requested the court to issue orders for confiscating the building, freezing bank accounts and producing a charge-sheet. The court issued notices to all the accused for submitting their responses.



Accused Dr Sher Zada, Dr Junaid Zaidi, Dr Izhar Hussain, Dr Suhail Ghani and Dr Shahid Khan deposited surety worth Rs0.1 million each for bail.

The laundered money amounts to Rs3.6 billion whereas tax theft to Rs680 million.

The counsel for the accused pleaded that the case had been challenged in the high court and the hearing should be postponed.

The Customs prosecutor said that since the high court had not issued a stay order, the proceedings should continue. He argued that the accused had looted the national exchequer ruthlessly and did not deserve mercy.

Director Inland Revenue Ajlal Khattak and DC Junaid Murtaza were also present in the court.

The court adjourned the hearing till January 30.