KARACHI, Sep 16: Justice Ghulam Rabbani of the High Court of Sindh disposed of on Monday a constitutional petition filed by a local businessman against FIA officers after Standing Counsel for the Federation assured of no further harassment.

Mian Manzoor Ahmed moved the High Court citing the ministry of the interior, director-general FIA, director FIA, CBC (Crimes in Commercial Banking), Karachi, and other officers of FIA, and Mazhar Ilahi Malik, owner of Malik International Industries, as the respondents.

The petitioner maintained that he owed Rs150,000 to Mr Malik as part of a business deal. The business was closed down later and the petitioner issued a cheque for Rs150,000 to Mr Malik.

The amount was later paid in cash, but return of the cheque was not demanded as both had faith in each other, submitted the petitioner.

The petitioner alleged that he was intercepted by FIA officials, including Chaudhry Sardar Ahmed, assistant director FIA, on 10-6-2002. It was further alleged that the FIA men took the petitioner to FIA, CBC office in Mehmoodabad where he was detained and there he was asked to sign an undertaking that he would pay Rs150,000 to Mazhar Malik.

The FIA men did not return his computerized NIC nor Rs72,325, alleged the petitioner.—APP