Earlier during the hearing, the counsel for SECP chairman said the FIA has included non-bailable section 466 hurriedly in the FIR for the arrest of Hijazi; however, section 466 is not applicable keeping in view the evidence. This is strange that two officers of the SECP who are directly involved in allegation have not been included in the FIR, he said, adding that the statement recorded by the SECP officials under section 164 is also suspicious. He told the court that the chairman SECP came under the definition of co-accused; therefore, he should be kept under section 109, but the officers involved in the case have been left by the agency.
The counsel for Hijazi further said his client neither did hold any meeting nor did he pressurise anyone, saying all allegations against his client are baseless. He further said that the FIA inquiry found no proof while the two SECP officers including Maheed Fatima and Abid Hussain tampered with the record on their own as Fatima's statement to the court did not make any mention regarding any pressure. Hijazi told the court that he had undergone a kidney transplant and it was very necessary for him to be hospitalized. He further said if he is not hospitalized, it will have a negative impact on his health.
The court reserved the ruling after completion of the arguments and media persons were asked to leave the courtroom. After some time the FIA officials arrested the SECP chairman in the courtroom. The FIA personal along with Zafar Hijazi's relatives mishandled a media team of a private TV channel at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after he was shifted to the hospital. The FIA personnel allegedly thrashed a male as well as a female reporter of the TV channel who went for the coverage of Hijazi at the PIMS.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan later took notice of the incident and also ordered a report from the FIA. The FIA following the directives of the a three-member special bench of the Supreme Court overseeing the implementation of the Panama Paper case verdict, had registered an FIR against SECP chairman under Sections 466, 472 PPC read with 5 (2) PCA 1947on July 10. On July 11, a single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court granted transitory bail to Hijazi till July 17 with directives to appear before the Special Court for relief in the matter. Following the expiry of the bail, he approached the lower court and was granted bail till July 21.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017