LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned another former chief, Saud Mirza, for Tuesday (today) in the investigation into cases against a Pakistani fugitive abroad for his alleged involvement in transnational financial crimes and money laundering.

Former FIA director general (DG) Bashir Memon has already appeared before an inquiry team for allegedly facilitating the fugitive, Umar Farooq Zahoor, who has been required by Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Pakistan since 2009-10 in various financial and other crimes.

In a call-up notice to Saud Mirza, the agency said the current investigation by the FIA Lahore revealed that the suspect, instead of being investigated for his transnational crimes leading to money laundering, was “unlawfully facilitated by FIA in evading apprehension in 2013-14 when you [Saud Mirza] were the DG.

Saud accused of favouring fugitive Zahoor in evading arrest in 2013-14

“In 2013-14, you (Mirza) in your capacity as the FIA DG and head of the [National Central Bureau (NCB)] Interpol Islamabad extended him an unlawful favour by moving Interpol Lyon for cancellation of Red Notice which was issued against him on the request of DIG investigation Lahore police and FIA director Punjab. Pursuant to your unlawful request, Interpol Lyon canceled the aforesaid Red Notice”.

The FIA further said: “It has surfaced from NCB Interpol Islamabad’s record that you [Mirza], without any justifiable cause, withdrew Interpol yellow notices issued for search and repatriation of abducted minors Zainab Umar and Zuneirah Umar (illegally removed from lawful custody of mother Khushbakht Mirza and transported abroad on counterfeit IDs/travel documents).”

The agency directed Saud Mirza to appear before an investigative team on Tuesday (today) and answer whether he made any efforts to investigate if the crime proceeds of $12 million (Swiss Bank Fraud Zurich 2004) or 89 million Norwegian kroners (Nordea Bank Fraud Oslo 2010) had been laundered to Pakistan (either directly or indirectly) as had already been highlighted by the NCBs Interpol Bern and Oslo.

“Why did you entertain the application submitted by Zahoor (a private person) for cancellation of the Red Notice issued against him in clear violation of Article 33 of the Constitution of Interpol? Considering the fact that Zahoor had obtained protective bail from the Sindh High Court, the Red Notice issued for his arrest could at best have been suspended/put in abeyance only to enable his travel to Pakistan to join the investigation of cases against him. Wasn’t it an unlawful favour to an internationally wanted fugitive/conman to get the Red Notices canceled on the basis of the protective bail obtained by him? Why did you, in your capacity as head of NCB Islamabad, withdraw the Red Notice issued against Zahoor despite the fact that the then director FIA Punjab had explicitly informed NCB Interpol Islamabad that he was wanted in FIR no 464/2009 of FIA AHTC Lahore?” asked the notice.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2022