Ayyan’s acquittal plea: Court to announce verdict on Friday

Authorities urge court disregard plea, indict suspect

RAWALPINDI: A customs court has reserved judgment on a petition filed by Ayyan Ali seeking acquittal in the currency smuggling case.

When the case was taken up on Wednesday, the accused along with her counsel Sardar Latif Khosa appeared before Customs Court Judge Rana Aftab Ahmad.

Farhat Lodhi appeared on behalf of Pakistan Customs while Amin Feroze represented Customs Intelligence.

They argued that if Ayyan was carrying more than $10,000 with her out of the country, she should have declared it to the authorities.

They added that the investigation team also wanted to know where the model acquired such a huge amount of foreign currency. The prosecutors termed the acquittal plea a delaying tactic by the defence and prayed the court to indict the model.

Ayyan’s counsel Sardar Latif Khosa argued that his client was born in Dubai in 1993 and her mother and brother were settled there in a ‘posh apartment’. Khosa said Ayyan was a source of pride for Pakistan in the world of modeling.

After counsels from both sides completed their arguments on the acquittal plea, the court while reserving the judgment, adjourned the hearing till November 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.