The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), on Monday, summoned three senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in a case pertaining to the video scandal of accountability judge Arshad Malik, who had convicted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.
Reports reveal that under the leadership of the newly appointed Chief, Wajid Zia, the FIA has become more active in persecuting corrupt politicians and former government officials.
3 PML-N Leaders Summoned
FIA has summoned Nawaz Sharif’s close advisor, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, and Uzma Bokhari, PML-N Punjab Information Secretary, on December 30. PML-N Deputy Secretary-General, Attaullah Tarrar, has been summoned on December 27.
These PML-N leaders have been summoned at the agency’s Lahore office to record their statements in the video scandal case.
Khawaja Asif, Attaullah Tarrar and Ahsan Iqbal also expression ignorance about the purported video
In its notice, the FIA summoned them to record their statements under section 160 CR.P.C in an FIR filed under cyber-crime. The notice, as circulating on media, said, “FIA is conducting an investigation in the subject case and reportedly you are well aware of the facts and circumstances of this case. Therefore, you are directed to appear before the investigation officers at FIA zonal office-I on Temple Road Lahore on Dec 27 and Dec 30.”
In response to the notice, PML-N leaders have exhibited their apprehensions over the appointment of Wajid Zia as the FIA Chief, claiming that his appointment has facilitated the political victimization of the opposition leadership.
Sources reveal that under Wajid Zia, the FIA has picked up its pace in pursuing existing and recent cases. It is important to note that he was also involved in gathering evidence against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members in the Panama Papers case.
Read more: FIA arrests key accused named in Judge Arshad Malik’s affidavit
Speaking to a prominent news platform, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarrar said that he will appear before the FIA to record his statement. Tarrar said that in the questionnaire sent by the FIA earlier with regards to their presence in the press conference convened by Maryam Nawaz to release Judge Arshad Malik’s video, he revealed that he was not aware of the video before the conference. He said that he had clarified that in his response.
Earlier, the FIA had arrested three suspects in the controversial video case, namely Nasir Janjua, Khurram Yousaf and Maher Ghulam Jilani. However, in September, the FIA submitted a request for their discharge for being innocent, and they were released.
As per FIA’s report, submitted before the Supreme Court, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif had observed that he had no knowledge of the video, and Maryam is the only one who can explain its origins. Khawaja Asif, Attaullah Tarrar and Ahsan Iqbal also expressed ignorance about the purported video.
Read more: Maryam Nawaz dissociates herself from the judge’s video scandal: FIA
More importantly, during the investigation, Maryam Nawaz, who had convened the press conference to release the scandalous video, also attempted to distance herself from the exact details of how the video was acquired and its originating source.