LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a petition by PTI activist and fashion designer Khadija Shah challenging an inquiry on money laundering charges.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi sought a reply from the FIA director general by Dec 22 and also restrained the agency from causing any harassment to the petitioner’s family.

Earlier, Advocate Sameer Khosa argued on behalf of Ms Shah that the FIA initiated the impugned inquiry into the money laundering case against the petitioner without any legal justification. He said the FIA`s inquiry into money laundering was based on malice. He asked the court to set aside the inquiry.

Ms Shah has been granted bail in all May 9 riots cases registered against her in Lahore.

However, Quetta police obtained her custody from a court in Lahore for investigation into a case relating to the May 9 riots.

AZHAR: Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday recused himself from a petition by former governor Mian Azhar seeking details of cases, if any, against his son Hammad Azhar, a former federal minister.

The petition came for hearing before the judge, who refused to hear it for personal reasons.

The judge referred the petition to the chief justice with a request to fix its hearing before any other bench.

Mian Azhar alleged that he and his family were being harassed and humiliated by the authorities in order to restrain them from running the election campaign despite the announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

He said his son had to file nomination papers before the ECP, but he had no knowledge of the ‘hidden’ cases against him. He alleged that police and other agencies had been conducting raids and causing harassment to his family members.

The petitioner asked the court to restrain the government and other respondents from causing harassment to the petitioner and his family members in any manner and provide details of FIRs, if any, lodged against his son.

Hammad has been declared a proclaimed offender in several cases related to May 9 riots.

REPLIES SOUGHT: Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought replies from the Punjab police and the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on a petition of PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan seeking details of the cases registered against him.

The PTI leader also alleged harassment at the hands of the police and other government agencies.

Khan said he wanted to contest upcoming general elections and it was necessary for a candidate to mention details of cases, if any, in the nomination papers.

He said the authorities were not providing him the details of the cases against him.

The judge issued notices to the respondents for Dec 22.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2023