The Supreme Court has issued orders for restoration of DG FIA, Zafar Qureshi and his four assistant officers to continue probe of NICL scam.
Earlier in April, under suspicious circumstances Zafar Qureshi was removed from the probe of NICL scam but the FIA spokesman denied his removal.
According to a private television channel, Director General FIA, Malik Iqbal, ordered removal of Zafar Qureshi from NICL scandal case’s investigation as a probe officer and he was asked to report in Islamabad. DG FIA, Zafar Qureshi, was probing into a case of the son of former Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Ilahi.
Later on July 1, the Supreme Court cancelled government’s notification issued for transfer of Zafar Qureshi and ordered him to resume his charge to probe NICL scam with immediate effect.
The court declared that the government’s notification to remove Zafar Qureshi from NICL scam case was being suspended. The apex court also ordered FIA chief to extend his support to Qureshi in the probe.
In his remarks, Chief Justice Chaudhry said that the court was being forced to do things, which it never intended to do.
During the hearing, Defense lawyer Babar Awan argued the government knows how to run the system. Senior lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri said that there was danger of confrontation if state bodies would cross their limits.
The court, in its ruling, referred to statements of Babar Awan and Attorney General, in which they admitted that Zafar Qureshi’s investigation was fair, which helped recover billions of rupees.
After restoration by the SC on July 1, Zafar Qureshi was suspended by his seniors under suspicious reasons including breach of service code, and his four assistant officers were also transferred in faraway places.
The Supreme Court took notice of Zafar Qureshi’s suspension and his officers’ transfers. On July 7, SC asked the concerned authorities to reappoint all officers for carrying on NICL scam’s probe but till date no action was taken over it.
On Wednesday morning after resuming hearing of case, the Supreme Court itself issued orders for restoration of DG FIA Zafar Qureshi and his four trustworthy assistant officers.
