LAHORE, Dec 10: The Lahore High Court on Monday summoned Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Anwar Virk after agency’s failure to arrest the owner of a ‘visa consultancy’ firm facing charges of fraud.

Earlier, FIA Lahore Director Waqar Haider appeared in the court along with members of an investigation team and said that efforts were made to arrest the culprit, Asim Malik, but more time was required to arrest him. He said raids had been conducted at his hideouts, but he was still at large.

Expressing displeasure with the performance of the officials, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi remarked that all authorities concerned would be sent to jail if the accused is not arrested.

Justice Naqvi directed the FIA director general to appear in person on December 12 and explain his position. The judge directed the agency to register FIRs on fresh applications filed by the affectees of Future Concern Associates, the ‘visa consultancy’ firm. The court was informed that 64 cases had been registered against the accused so far.

In this case, the court had already ordered FIA to confiscate assets of Asim Malik and his dependents and put his name on the exit control list (ECL). The number of writ petitions against the accused has risen to 108. The petitioners pleaded that they had given money to the company’s chief executive officer to go abroad, but he neither sent them abroad nor returned their money.

Zardari caseA Lahore High Court full bench on Monday did not take up a contempt of court petition against President Asif Ali Zardari due to unavailability of Justice Sheikh Najamul Hasan, one of its members (judges).

Justice Hasan went on leave due to sudden demise of his mother.

The bench will now take up the petition on Dec 12.

The five-member full bench is headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprises Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Justice Sheikh Najamul Hasan, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.