ISLAMABAD: A local court on Friday rejected a plea to acquit former Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman Zafar Hijazi in a record tampering case related to Sharif family’s Chaudhry Sugar Mills.
Special Judge Central Irum heard the petition that stated that Hijazi be acquitted in the record tampering case owing to inadequate evidence to prove him guilty.
The court rejected the petition observing that there are undeniable pieces of evidence against the former SECP chairman that are solid enough to initiate a trial against him.
The court later adjourned the hearing after directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to present testimonies against Zafar Hijazi on Nov 29.
A special court of the FIA on Oct 27 had indicted Hijazi in the record tampering case pertaining to Chaudhry Sugar Mills owned by the Sharif family.
According to the charge sheet, Hijazi had been charged with coercing his subordinates to change dates on documents related to the sugar mills.
An FIA enquiry team found Hijazi guilty of tampering the records of companies owned by the Sharif family. The team submitted a 28-page enquiry report to the Supreme Court on July 9, in which it had endorsed the stance of the JIT probing the offshore assets of prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panama gate case.
In July, the federal government appointed Zafar Abdullah as acting chairman of the SECP following suspension of Hijazi.
