FAISALABAD Interior Minister Rehman Malik appeared before a court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) here on Tuesday in a case of misusing official powers and secured pre-arrest bail.

The FIA had registered a case against inspector Shaukat Maqsood and Mr Malik in 1999 for misusing of official powers. The inspector was later exonerated.

Barkhordar of Sarang, Jhang, submitted an application to the FIA that Mr Malik had got registered false cases against him and his relatives. The minister was serving in the FIA when the cases were instituted against the applicant.

During the proceedings, the minister requested the court comprising Tariq Mehmood Iqbal to exempt him from physical presence, but the court turned down the request and ordered Mr Malik to appear in person on Feb 3.

The court also granted pre-arrest bail to the minister against two surety bonds of Rs 500,000 each till Feb 3. When the minister told the court that he had only one surety bond, the court directed him to abide by the direction.

Talking to reporters after the court proceedings, the minister said that government honoured the court verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance and leadership decided to defend cases in the courts.