Immigration scam: ‘Bring Future Concern’s head to court’

FIA director says respondent not found despite multiple raids.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Monday expressed displeasure at the FIA’s inability to arrest visa consultancy firm Future Concern’s owner Asim Malik on charges of fraud.

It also summoned the FIA director general (DG) for the next hearing.

Earlier, FIA Director (Lahore) Waqar Haider, who appeared before the court with members of the joint investigation team, said they had conducted a number of raids at possible hideouts but Malik was nowhere to be found.

Justice Syed Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi express his displeasure over the non-arrest of the accused. “All authorities concerned will be sent to jail if the accused is not arrested,” he said. The judge directed the FIA DG to appear before the court in person on December 12 and explain his position. The judge directed FIA officials to register FIRs on fresh applications filed by new petitioners against Future Concern’s owner. The court was told 64 cases had been registered against the accused so far. The number of writ petitions against the accused had increased to 108.

The court had already ordered the FIA to confiscate the assets of Malik and his dependents and put his name on the exit control list. The petitioners submitted that they had gave money to Malik to obtain immigration but the promise was not fulfilled. They said that the respondent had committed fraud.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2012.