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KARACHI: Zulfiqar Mirza accused former president Asif Ali Zardari of laundering money through super model Ayyan Ali, and called for the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the matter.
In an appearance on the DawnNews show ‘Jaiza’, the former interior minister of Sindh said that the money being laundered to a foreign country belongs to Asif Zardari, asserting that Ayyan Ali was ferried back and forth from Bilawal House with full protocol.
He said that if Ayyan hadn’t been arrested, then she would be Faryal Talpur’s sister-in-law ─ and his.
Mirza said that investigating Zardari for corruption should not be a difficult task for authorities, but that despite the prime minister’s statement, the National Accountability Bureau was not taking action against corrupt people.
PPP is 'not the same'
When questioned about the differences between Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Zulfiqar Mirza said that after hearing how Zardari spoke about his son on television, anyone would disbelieve claims denying a rift between the two.
When asked why there were differences between the two, Mirza claimed that when Bilawal expressed a wish for Rangers to conduct operations in Karachi, he was given a break from party leadership.
Mirza is of the opinion that the People’s Party is not the same as it used to be. Referring to it as a ‘hardcore Zardari League’, he said that only Zardari and ‘his people’ have any say in the party.
The former minister also said that he wants to free the helpless people of Sindh from the current leadership of the PPP.
Watch the complete interview here
Ayyan not cooperating with customs authorities
On April 11, during a hearing at a special customs court, customs authorities presented a report regarding investigation carried out in the money laundering case against Ayyan. Customs authorities present in court stated that Ayyan does not cooperate during investigation.
The court extended Ayyan's judicial remand to 14 days and adjourned the hearing till April 24.
Ayyan was arrested by customs officials on March 14 from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad after $508,000 were recovered from her possession.
She was arrested for violation of Section 2(s) of the Customs Act 1969 which is a ‘predicate offence’ under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010.
The offence is non-bailable and non-cognisable, which is why the The Federal Board of Revenue's Director General of Intelligence and Investigation is also seeking permission to investigate it.
The FBR fears that the case against Ayyan may break down because it has not been framed under the relevant sections of the law, which would empower the FBR’s DG I&I to pursue it.
Read more: Airport entry pass of ex-president’s PA cancelled for facilitating Ayyan
