The Supreme Court ordered on Monday that Tauqeer Sadiq, former chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), be deported back to Pakistan before his detention in Dubai expires on February 14.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain took up the OGRA corruption case for hearing on Monday.
In its order, the Supreme Court directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and other departments to support the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the deportation of Tauqeer Sadiq. The order further states that if the process to deport Sadiq is not completed by February 14, steps should be taken to extend the detention period.
The Supreme Court (SC) also directed NAB to present a comprehensive report on the efforts made on its part from January 2 to arrest Tauqir Sadiq.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja observed that the court would determine what legal action should be taken against the persons who helped Tauqir Sadiq escape from the country. “No doubt Tauqir Sadiq’s name was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) but it seems apparently that he is roaming freely. If we see official record we will come to know that Tauqir Sadiq is present in Pakistan as per the documents of the Immigration Department,” he remarked.
FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan told the court that the passports of Tauqir Sadiq had been revoked on January 2, 2013, and all the countries had been informed through Interpol that Tauqir Sadiq was wanted by Pakistan.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja asked when and how this request was sent to UAE authorities by the FIA. He said that the documents be shown to the court wherein it was stated that the passports of Tauqir Sadiq had been cancelled.
NAB Investigation Officer Waqas told the court that Tauqir Sadiq might leave the UAE on February 14. “We contacted UAE authorities due to which Tauqir Sadiq was arrested. Now UAE authorities have changed their stance and Dubai authorities have told us that Tauqir Sadiq will be deported. But when we arrived in Pakistan we were told that it was a matter of his delivery and not deportation,” he added.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja observed: “We had already said that Tauqir Sadiq would perhaps never come to Pakistan.”
The FIA director told the court that information about the revocation of passports of Tauqir Sadiq had been sent to all the countries through Interpol. This information was sent to Dubai authorities through NAB and the court.
“Show us the documents related to the letter sent to Dubai authorities,” Justice Khwaja said. The FIA director replied: “We can write only to Interpol.”
Amicus curiae Khawaja Haris told the court that the Interior Ministry had contacted Dubai authorities.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain asked, “What immediate steps should be taken by us that Tauqir Sadiq comes before us.”
Haris told the court that a letter had been written by the Cabinet Division to the NAB chairman on January 11, 2013, in which NAB was told that the prime minister wanted to stay informed about the updates of this case.
The hearing of the case was adjourned until February 18.
