LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has informed a special court (central-I) that properties of former federal minister Moonis Elahi have been attached for being a proclaimed offender (PO) in a money laundering case.

A report submitted by the FIA stated that the assets owned by Moonis have been attached, whereas another property in Abu Bakar Block of New Garden Town has been found in his name.

The court attached the said property directing the Nishtar Town sub-registrar not to transfer the property further to any person.

The report further revealed that the absconding suspect was director and 99pc owner of a private limited company styled as “ME Capital” and the company was holding 75pc ownership of Toyota Motors Gujrat.

The court directed the Security Exchange and Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to attach the shares owned by the suspect and not to transfer further to any person.

The court also ordered the FIA to submit a progress report on the issuance of red notice through Interpol for the arrest of Moonis.

The court will resume the next hearing on March 14.

In this case, Moonis has already been declared a PO for not attending the proceedings against him.

The FIA registered the case of alleged money laundering against Moonis and his family after he left the country. His father, PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, is also behind bars in multiple cases registered against him.

An accountability court has already declared Moonis a PO in a case of alleged corruption in development projects. The NAB accused him of embezzling billions of rupees in development projects.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2024