Faryal Talpur, Anvar Majid challenge SC’s Jan 7 order

Omni Group owner says ordering NAB to file cases in Islamabad, Rawalpindi illegal

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur and the Omni Group’s owner Anvar Majid have filed separate review petitions, challenging the Supreme Court’s January 7 order in a case related to alleged laundering of billions of rupees through fake bank accounts.

In its January 7 verdict, the SC had referred a joint investigation team’s (JIT) report and evidence collected by it to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation and directed the anti-corruption watchdog to wrap up its investigation within two months.

The judgement said all cases, which had not been concluded or which in the opinion of the JIT required further probe, would remain within the jurisdiction of the JIT which would continue its investigation and complete it within a reasonable time.

Once completed, the JIT report together with all material and evidence would be transmitted to NAB without the need for any further order from this court for action in accordance with law, said the SC, which also ordered NAB to file references in Islamabad or Rawalpindi courts.



On Wednesday, Anvar Majid through his counsel Shahid Hamid adopted the stance that "all the allegations are connected with Karachi; moreover, all witnesses live there as well. However, ordering NAB to file the reference in Islamabad is illegal and should be reviewed."

Similarly, the filing of a reference by NAB Rawalpindi is 'unlawful' as the 'entire alleged record' of the case is in Karachi. "Majid faces ill health and has also presented a medical report in this regard and due to ill health it is very difficult for our client to travel to Islamabad from Karachi," the counsel pleaded.

The counsel also requested the court to restrain the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from providing details of the investigation to the media. He submitted that the JIT had conducted investigation into the matter and there was no need of further probe.

“It did not come under the domain of NAB but the FIA, which should be directed to submit its final challan on the basis of the JIT report submitted earlier, he added.

Faryal Talpur, the sister of former president Asif Ali Zardari, also filed a separate review petition challenging the apex court's January 7 order.



Zardari and his sister on January 28 filed a joint review petition in the SC through their lawyer Latif Khosa. However, Talpur on Wednesday submitted a separate plea through her counsel Farooq H Naek.

Besides Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur and Anver Majid, many others, including former president of Summit Bank Hussain Lawai, were also nominated in the multi-billion rupees scandal that surfaced in mid-2018.

Over 27 'benami' accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were allegedly made. The amount, according to FIA, was said to be black money gathered from kickbacks, commissions and bribes.