ISLAMABAD: A senior civil judge of Islamabad on Wednesday extended physical remand of suspended Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman Zafarul Haq Hijazi for three days.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested Mr Hijazi on July 21 after dismissal of his bail by the special court of the FIA.

He was arrested on charges of tampering with the record of Chaudhry Sugar Mills owned by the Sharif family. Initially, the senior civil judge gave Mr Hijazi on four days physical remand.

When FIA sought extension in remand, senior civil judge Mohammad Bashir inquired from the investigation what they did with the accused during earlier remand.

FIA’s prosecutor replied that since Mr Hijazi remained in hospital for two days, the investigators could not interrogate him.

Mr Hijazi’s counsel on the other hand opposed the request of extension in physical remand and said that the real culprits were sitting in the SECP while the FIA arrested his client without any solid reason.

The counsel further said that the Hijazi is 64-year-old, had a kidney transplant in 2001, developed diabetes mellitus type-2, needs specialised medicine and his detention would endanger his life.

The judge, however, extended the remand of Mr Hijazi and directed the FIA to produce him before the court after expiry of this period.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2017