IHC dismisses Hijazi's applications in record tampering case

Record tampering case will continue in trial court with next hearing scheduled for April 10

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court dismissed on Monday two petitions of the suspended Chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Zafar Hijazi, in the record tampering case of  companies owned by the Sharif family.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani had reserved the judgment on March 7. In one application filed by Hijazi’s counsel, the former SECP chairman challenged the special court’s judgment of November 10, 2017, requesting to set aside the trial court’s order and acquit him from the case.

Hijazi had filed an application under section 249-A (power of the magistrate to acquit accused at any stage) of the Criminal Procedure Code for summary disposal of First Information Report (FIR) which was dismissed by the court on November 10.

The special court Judge Irum Niazi had dismissed the application observing that there was sufficient evidence to proceed against Hijazi.

In the other petition, Hijazi had asked the court to quash the FIR against him in a case pertaining to tampering record of the Sharif family’s companies. He said SECP officials – Maheen Fatima, Tariq Ahmed, Ali Azeem, Tahir Mahmood and Abid Hussain were allegedly involved and have falsely blamed him to save their skin.

Hijazi had sought nullification of FIR on grounds that it is illegal, suffers from jurisdictional error and has no legal effect.



Following IHC decision, the record tampering case will continue in trial court where the next hearing is scheduled for April 10.

Hijazi was booked by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) 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. He has been on bail since August 8, 2o17.