LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday restrained the FIA from taking coercive measures against a first cousin/sister in-law of former PM Nawaz Sharif with regard to an inquiry into a loan default.

Farah Aslam, wife of Mian Aslam, challenged a notice by a private bank that asked the FIA for an inquiry to determine whether a loan default of over Rs220m by the Brother Sugar Mills was willful.

Advocate Ijaz Awan appeared on behalf of the lady and argued before the court that the petitioner had no relation with the sugar mills as it had already been sold in 2015 in the light of a court order for the distribution of Sharif family’s assets. He said the FIA unlawfully implicated the petitioner in the ongoing sugar inquiries and bent upon taking action against the petitioner at the behest of the bank.

He asked the court to set aside the impugned notice issued by the bank and the FIA as well. Justice Shahid Karim sought replies from the FIA and the bank by Dec 7.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2021