Sindh govt depts told to shut all dealings with Omni Group

KARACHI: The Sindh government issued on Saturday a notification conveying all departments not to release any subsidy to Omni Group and other businesses of Anwer Majeed and his family.



According to a notification issued by the implementation and coordination secretary, any subsidy approved but not distributed or any cheque issued in this regard may also be cancelled or recalled.  “The action is being taken in light of a letter received from the Joint Interrogation Team (JIT) of the Federal Investigation Agency, Karachi,” the notification read.

According to the notification, the chief secretary has directed to take immediate action in the matter and ensure that no subsidy to any business entity of the accused, his family and associates, especially in the tractor manufacturing industry, sugar and captive plants may be released.

Anwar Majeed’s son arrested

Namar Majeed, the son of Omni Group owner Anwar Majeed, was taken into custody on Saturday from outside the SC’s Karachi registry by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in relation with the ongoing fake bank accounts case.

During the hearing of the case at the apex court’s Karachi registry, the CJP asked how sugar worth millions could disappear from the group’s warehouses and summoned the group’s chief executive and other officials.

Namar had been on interim bail and was taken into custody by FIA after the hearing concluded.

The FIA director-general said nine sugar mills operate under the Omni group’s banner: Naudero, Bandhi, Khoski, Ansari, Tandowala Yaar, Bawani, New Dadu, Lord, and Chamar.

The CJP ordered the Omni group to submit full records by October 30.

Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, sister Faryal Talpur, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai and Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are among those being investigated by a seven-member JIT led by FIA Additional Director General Najaf Mirza for allegedly facilitating 29 ‘fake’ accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Limited.

According to the FIR registered against Lawai and others, billions of rupees were deposited into the fake accounts and subsequently transferred to beneficiaries, including the company owned by Zardari and his sister, the Zardari Group.



The Zardari Group received Rs15 million of the laundered money, according to the FIR. In December 2016, the Sindh Rangers had conducted raids at the Karachi office of the Omni Group of Companies and the residence of its owner, Anwar Majeed and confiscated records which reportedly contained clues of the money laundering chain. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2018.