LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday summoned Sabir Hameed alias Sabir Mithu, a businessman and brother-in-law of a high profile figure, in an inquiry initiated against him on charges of money laundering.

The Punjab Zone anti-money laundering circle of the FIA issued the call notice to Sabir Mithu to appear before the agency on October 23.

The notice available with Dawn states, “This is in pursuant to an on-going criminal investigation in this agency on the allegation of high volume suspicious transactions into your bank accounts contrary to the declared business profile.”

It further states: “It has come to fore that you are maintaining 19 bank accounts (14 rupee and five of foreign currency) with the aggregate credit turnover of Rs 5.34 billion during the course of enquiry and perusal of record available with this agency.”

The FIA circle directed Mr Mithu to “appear before the investigation team to explain his position and submit record about FBR returns/ declarations for 2016 to 2023 (personal & business), list of all countries visited/ international travels made by you and their purposes and list of all off-shore/ shell companies and business-vehicles held by you and your family-members and the countries/ jurisdictions in which they are held. List of all international assets (properties, investments and accounts) held directly or indirectly through any off-shore/ shell companies or business-vehicles, by you, your spouse or family.”

It further directed Mr Mithu to submit a “list of all international/ national assets (properties, investments and accounts) not held in your or your family’s name but in which you or your family have any beneficial interest, detail of all foreign currency purchases made by you or on your behalf (within Pakistan), detail of foreign currency taken by you or your spouse or family, out of Pakistan, whether that was declared at the airport or otherwise and reason of high value credit/ debit transactions in bank accounts maintained on your name or in name of your dependents and also bring all details of your bank accounts.”

The call-up notice also carried a warning of legal action for not appearing before the investigation team.

Last year, a news website published a story about a sudden and ‘unexplainable’ increase in the assets of the family members of Sabir Mithu and the influential figure.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2023