Soon after FIA’s capital’s zonal head defied political pressure and denied to give any favour to SECP chairman Zafar Hijazi during, the PM secretariat on Friday’s evening successfully managed to keep Hijazi away from FIA’s overnight interrogation, it has been learnt.
The FIA chief had refused to provide sofa-cum-bed, air conditioner, UPS system, charging fans and special food to Hijazi, and said that Hijazi would be interrogated like a common citizen of the land
Earlier on 4:30pm, Muhammad Iqbal Naeem, brother of Zafar Hijazi along with some aides also visited FIA center at Iqbal Town for the same cause. He also insisted that Hijazi has a weak immune system as he had gone through kidney transplant ten years ago, and he is seriously ill, so ‘on humanitarian grounds’ he should be entertained with aforementioned facilities during his custody in FIA.
An official requested not to be named, said that he requested several times that at least he should be allowed to provide special food to him [at any cost], but to no avail. Subsequently, on FIA’s denial, efforts were started to shift SECP chairman to PIMS Hospital for stay pleading his illness in order to save his skin from overnight interrogation.
Sources inside FIA said that the PM Secretariat managed doctors of PIMS Hospital and administration, due to which test reports came in favour of Hijazi which declared him seriously ill. ‘Supreme Court may take this move of managing Hijazi’s stay in hospital adversely!’ said an official requesting anonymity.
During his stay in PIMS for checkup, FIA officials allegedly gave protocol to him and his family. Meanwhile, some FIA officials allegedly misbehaved with a journalist of a private TV channel. Subsequently, Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan took notice of the said act and sought explanation from FIA chief, and Islamabad IG.
Curiously, PIMS administration has formed a five-member committee under the supervision of Dr Sajid Qazi. The committee will issue medical report after determining the tests reports of Hijazi. It was earlier planned by FIA officials that during his custody, he will be grilled, quizzed that on whom directions he directed, pressured his subordinates to close Chaudhry Sugar Mill (Pvt) Ltd inquiry in back dates of 2013.
FIA sources claimed that FIA had already got evidences from his mobile phone, Whatsapp record that two major political figures and one officer of PM office were in constant contact with Hijazi.
Sources said that Hijazi on the directions of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar deliberately gave favour to ruling party to show his loyalty. ‘What he did was wrong, but he may change his stance that he did wrong under pressure, and this is the only way he can get some relief lawfully, like his subordinates did and got relief,’ adding that today (Saturday) he will be presented before duty magistrate and on Monday he will be presented before trial judge in which FIA will seek physical remand of 14 days.