LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from holding proceedings against its former director general Bashir Memon and harassing him in an inquiry of alleged collusion with former husband of fashion model Sofia Mirza.

Justice Asjad Javed Ghural sought a reply from the FIA by March 21 and ordered, “In the meanwhile, neither any proceedings shall be made pursuant to the impugned notice dated Dec 24, 2021 nor the petitioner shall be harassed in any manner whatsoever.”

Earlier, Mr Memon personally appeared before the court along with his counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq.

The counsel argued that the agency initiated an inquiry against the petitioner on the charge of extending illegal favours to Umar Farooq Zahoor, the ex-husband of model Mirza, and not launching an inquiry against him to recover her two minor daughters from the father.

He said the agency issued a call-up notice to the petitioner on Dec 24 last.

The counsel argued that the impugned call-up notice was in violation of the FIA Act 1971 which envisages that no suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any member of the agency exercising any power or performing any function in good faith.

He said the FIA was making cases against the petitioner only on political consideration.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2022