Court seeks replies on plea challenging FIA’s notice

Usman Dar challenged FIA's call-up notice for the examination of his educational certificates

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court's (LHC) Justice Amjad Rafiq issued notices and sought replies from the parties concerned in response to a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) lawmaker Usman Dar, challenging the FIA's call-up notice issued to him for the examination of his educational certificates.

In his petition, Dar argued that he completed his studies in matriculation, intermediate, and bachelor's in commerce from the University of Punjab in 1994. The petitioner obtained certificates and a degree from the relevant Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education and University, following the due process.

Furthermore, the petitioner completed a Master of Business Administration in International Business on campus at Schiller International University, a foreign institution, and was awarded the degree on May 15, 1997.

The petitioner's degrees have been duly verified. Subsequently, the petitioner submitted his nomination papers from the NA-73 Sialkot-II Punjab constituency in the General Elections of 2018, which faced objections from opposing candidates. However, the objections were dismissed by the Returning Officer. The opponents later challenged this decision in an appellant forum, where their appeal was also dismissed.

The petitioner urged the court to consider that the FIA was established under the Federal Investigation Act 1974, with the purpose of investigating matters related to the federal government.

The preamble of the Act reflects this intent. According to Section 3(1) of the 1974 Act, the jurisdiction of the FIA is limited to the investigation and prosecution of offenses listed in the Act's schedule.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2023.