LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Friday expressed serious concerns after it was told that the owner of a visa consultancy firm, wanted for fraud, had been able to escape abroad, despite his name being on the exit control list (ECL).
Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi observed that the escape of Asim Malik, the chief operating officer (CEO) of Future Concerns, was “astonishing”.
The judge was hearing more than a hundred petitions against Malik. The petitioners say that he had taken money and promised to send them abroad but did not. He had not returned their money either, they said.
The judge ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to issue red warrants in Malik’s name.
On Friday, FIA Director General (DG) Anwar Virk appeared before the court, along with other officers, and stated that there were reports that the accused had fled the country.
The judge directed the director general to fix responsibility and to take action against delinquent officials.
The judge also directed the DG to seek help from Interpol to arrest the accused and to submit a compliance report at the next hearing, December 21.
Earlier, the court had ordered the FIA to confiscate all assets owned by Malik and his dependents and to put his name on the ECL. Malik had also surrendered his Pakistani passport at the court’s direction. However, he had not surrendered a foreign passport that he had held despite repeated orders.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2012.
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