Despite knowing that Malik is currently out of the country, a team of three Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials visited Malik’s residence on Saturday to arrest him in connection with registered an FIR under section 163 CPC for concealing official facts.
Malik’s family members claimed that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar was using the FIA for his vested political interests.
“We will adopt a legal course. Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has already penned down a detailed judgment in favor of Tariq Malik—who left the country after two months of his resignation from the post, but FIA wants to arrest him now. The timing of this move is not incomprehensible,” said Professor Tahir Malik, brother of Tariq Malik, told The Express Tribune.
The FIA has accused Malik of not declaring himself as a government employee on his official passport. Malik was an IT expert and was hired as a technocrat by the government, Malik’s brother explained.
He said that Nisar had already told Parliament that a number of bureaucrats are dual nationals but there was no constitutional restriction on their appointment. A number of government advisors are currently dual nationals, including Shujaat Azeem, aviation advisor to the Prime Minister.
An official of the agency told The Express Tribune that the option to issue red-warrants against Malik is also under consideration. The FIA had started probing about the interior ministry’s show-cause notice and charge-sheet prepared by the audit authorities.
The interior ministry, in the last week of December 2013, had issued a four-page show-cause notice to Malik, levelling charges against him of concealing facts, misuse of official powers and financial irregularities.
In his detailed verdict, Justice Qureshi of IHC held that the government’s decision to remove Malik from the Nadra chief’s post and levelling charges against him was a mala fide intention.
A close aide of Malik told The Express Tribune that due to security threats, Malik had decided to leave Pakistan. He said that Malik was forced to quit from the slot of chairman Nadra and was later threatened with dire consequences.
Allegations
On December 31, after initiating a formal inquiry, FIA had summoned the Nadra chairman to file his reply about the irregularities discovered within the organization. However, Malik did not appear before the inquiry committee.
“I am constrained to believe that the FIA’s inquiry is part of the smear and victimisation campaign which is a sequel to my sudden removal without following due process,” Malik had said earlier.
In a surprise move, the government removed Malik on the night of December 3, 2013 and appointed a new chairman within hours. However, the IHC had reinstated him the next morning and suspended his termination orders.
The Nadra chairman had written in a letter to the FIA rejecting allegations levelled against him by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Saga
The chairman’s sacking had come only days after an election tribunal asked Nadra to verify the thumb impressions of voters from the Lahore constituency NA-118, won by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Riaz.
On December 12, Malik had insisted that no rules were violated upon his assumption of office, dismissing a government claim that his appointment was illegal.
He had also clarified that his appointment as member (of authority) was not a promotion, nor did it involve or entail any financial consequences since he did not draw any remuneration.
The opposition parties had teamed up against the government over his sacking as they built up their case that the move was aimed at concealing rigging in the May 11, 2013 general elections.
The Express Tribune had also learnt that an audit team – on the wishes of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and the interior minister – had prepared a 14-point charge-sheet against the Nadra chief.
COMMENTS (18)
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This is to teach lesson to other officers, never dare to say NO to Shahbaz Sharif.
Well done FIA.........!! What else you are capable of doing except playing to the gallery.
The real case which FIA has to investigate who issued NADRA id card to foreigners who later on themselves accommodated in government agencies for espionage purposes; some of them have been caught one was working as cammado in a secret agency
In Pakistan "Lucha Sab To Uchaa". FIA is nothing more than a puppet of MOI.
Arm Twisting tactics. Due to Imran Khan repeatedly mentioning sacking of Ex-Nadra Chairman by PML-N to avoid Bio-Metric recounting of votes, PML-N has now resorted to these kind of fascist methods.
Looks like PML-N leadership is confused and their days are numbered.
After having seeing what the Sharif brothers are capable of, I have absolutely no doubt that a revolution is in the making. Whether is comes through Qadri or anyone else.
FIA, after SC an another disappointment! Sad and scary situation in Pakistan! National institutions are in the hands of thugs!
so our interior minister ch nisar comes out of hibernation instead of focusing on military operation the biggest issue for him is sort Tariq malik use of FIA for political victimization is deplorable seems like pml n govt has panicked over thumb impression verification in Lahore
So they want him to under pressure so he dont spill the beans what he already knows about so very Sharif "rigging"!
FIA should arrest the current NADRA chief who pervert the course of justice by switching off CCTV and temper the polling bags!
@Khalid Manzoor:
Chaudry Nisar is a green card holder along with his wife and children! The interior minister of the country holds a green card and owns estate in USA! Do you think he will stick around once the government falls shortly? He will make a run to the USA thanks to his green card! Most of PMLN corrupt politicians have dual nationality and green cards.
Looks like Tariq Malik paid the price of being an overseas Pakistani who wanted to contribute positively to Pakistan. Sadly Pakistan is a dirty swamp where fresh water fish cannot survive.
"...said Professor Tahir Malik, brother of Tahir Malik".
Both brothers have the same name?
PMLN is again resorting to dirty tactics. PMLN is acting like a Gang where anyone who go against them is their target and they pursue their foes with false cases and smear campaign. FIA is now a personal asset of Nawaz Family to blackmail anyone. Also there is no difference in MQM and PMLN. MQM threaten people with Weapons and PMLN use Political and Dirty Legal tactics to traumatize their opponent.
@fawad:
This tendency is a spill over effect from our side....name a single institution which has credibility among Indian masses? After all both the countries share same values...and apart from that... young ones learn from their elders.
political victimization.
Nisar Ali Khan has used the FIA to harass and put false cases on lots of people - not just the NADRA chief. Nisar Ali Khan should know what goes around comes around, and he will soon get his own share of the FIA and it's cases Inshallah.
When all else fails, PMLN resorts to intimidation tactics. Disgusting.
So FIA takes side now, thanks to the continous political meddling of Pmln legislators. Do we have any institution left in Pakistan that has any credibility as a neutral and unbiased institution?