A three-judge special bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa will take up the review petitions of Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Sindh government, Omni Group owner Anwer Majeed and his son Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed from Tuesday (February 19).
The former president on Friday filed a petition through Advocate Sardar Latif Khosa in the case of slackness in the progress of pending inquiries relating to the fake bank accounts to restrain JIT from harassing officers of Zardari Group.
He contended that the JIT is based on assumptions and presumptions. No direct allegations have been levelled against the petitioner despite that the JIT was directed to further probe against the petitioner and others persons. The failure of the JIT to probe allegations of FIA were endorsed by the apex court on January 7, 2019 thereby issuing certain directions to NAB which are uncalled for and illegal, and require revisit and review of this court.
The Supreme Court not only directed JIT to assist the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as and when required, whereas in the instant case FIA till date is continuously illegally probing the matter by summoning various persons including Abu Bakr Zardari (Legal Advisor, Zardari Group). Abu Bakr was contacted by the FIA to appear before them on 12-02-2019 regarding inquiry of M/s Zardari.
The counsel said this amounts to parallel exercise of power as on one hand the NAB is probing the matter and on the other hand FIA has also started inquiring the same matter. It is against the spirit of Supreme Court 7th January order.
The parallel inquiry being conducted by JIT as well as NAB is not in accordance with law and Constitution. The parallel inquiry being conducted by the FIA is without jurisdiction. The FIA is inquiring the matter in violation of January 7 order.
The inquiry by two different forums runs contrary to the spirit of rule of law and the enshrined proverb that 'all men are equal before law' and the Article 25 of Constitution, said the petition.