ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought reply from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Syed Imran Ahmed and Hussain Asghar, an official of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), on a petition of MNA Abdul Qadir Gilani, son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in a matter related to Haj corruption scam.

In the petition, Abdul Qadir requested the court to issue directions to FIA for revival of an official complaint, which the investigation agency had withdrawn on December 6, against the PML-N lawmaker Syed Imran, who allegedly recorded false statement against Mr Gilani that he received a bullet-proof vehicle from an accused of Haj corruption case.

The Haj corruption case came to the limelight after the Supreme Court in 2010 took suo motu notice of the mismanagement in the affairs of the Haj arrangements.

The then prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, constituted a parliamentary committee to probe the matter.

MNA Syed Imran, one of the members of the said committee, also recorded his statement before the FIA investigation officer Niamat Ali, in which he linked Abdul Qadir Gilani with the Haj corruption scam.

In the statement recorded with the FIA on Dec 22, 2010, Syed Imran accused Abdul Qadir of receiving a luxury bullet-proof Land Cruiser from the former director-general (DG) Haj, Rao Shakeel Ahmed, the principal accused in the scam.

The MNA had also said that Zain Iftikhar Sukhera, a close friend of Abdul Qadir Gilani, went to Saudi Arabia on July 18, 2010, and met Rao Shakeel and received the vehicle.

The vehicle was “reportedly smuggled through Karachi port and was secretly offloaded from a truck at Sahiwal”, Syed Imran had said in his statement.

On February 24, 2011, Syed Imran backtracked from his earlier statement in which he alleged Abdul Qadir had received a bullet-proof Land Cruiser from Rao Shakeel.

The apex court had then observed “it is important to note that Syed Imran Ahmed when called upon to furnish evidence to substantiate the allegations, failed to do so.”

“Such statements should not have been made by Syed Imran Ahmed. Additional DG (FIA) may look into the matter and proceed against him, if he considers that false information was provided to FIA.”

Subsequently, FIA filed an official complaint against Syed Imran in the sessions’ court  of Islamabad and after one year, the court on March 3, 2011, fixed May 21 for the indictment of the lawmaker.

MNA Syed Imran, however, on June 21, moved an application under section 249 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for his acquittal before the additional sessions judge.

FIA assistant director legal Khalid Naeem on November 16 requested the court to withdraw their official complaint against Syed Imran Ahmed which was accepted by the court.

Abdul Qadir Gilani through his legal counsel told the court that withdrawal of the official complaint against PML-N lawmaker was illegal and insisted that the court revive the complaint against Imran Ahmed and remand it to the sessions court.

He alleged that the lawmaker tried to drag Mr Gilani in the said case at the behest of the FIA.

In his petition the younger Gilani also criticised FIA director Hussain Asghar who had summoned his father Yousaf Raza Gilani on November 15, in connection with the investigation of the Haj corruption case.

Mr Gilani alleged that Hussain Asghar had a personal vendetta against the Gilani family as Yousaf Raza Gilani in his capacity as prime minister had suspended him and also ordered that his salary be stopped.

The petition alleged that Mr Asghar wanted to take revenge from the Gilani family; therefore, he tried to connect him and his father with the Haj corruption scam, adding that when the efforts of Mr Asghar went in vain, he planned withdrawal of the official complaint against PML-N lawmaker, who had caused mental agony to the petitioner.

Justice Kasi after hearing the preliminary arguments of the counsel issued pre-admission notices to Syed Imran, Hussain Asghar, FIA deputy director Niamat Ali, sessions judge Islamabad and adjourned the hearing till December 21.