ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati on Wednesday recorded his statement before the Supreme Court-constituted joint investigation team (JIT) probing the transfer of former Islamabad Police IGP Jan Muhammad.
According to reports, Swati was questioned for over two hours.
The SC had taken suo notice of the IGP’s transfer during the hearing of another case related to regularisation of Bani Gala land. In subsequent hearings, the three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar formed a JIT to further probe the matter.
The JIT is investigating ‘unceremonious’ transfer of Police Service of Pakistan BPS grade-20 officer IGP Muhammad on verbal directives issued by Prime Minister Imran Khan after the former reportedly failed to attend calls of Swati.
Swati travelled to the old National Accountability Bureau (NAB) headquarters building to record the statement before the JIT comprising NAB Rawalpindi Director General Irfan Naeem Mangi, Intelligence Bureau Director General Ahmed Rizwan and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Mir Wais Niaz.
It is pertinent to note that the JIT has also been tasked with determining Swati’s assets. Mir Wais Niaz had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) for details pertaining to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader’s income tax and wealth statement, however, the bureau turned down the request citing Section 216 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 which bounds it to keep taxpayers information confidential.
Previously, the team also questioned State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi and Establishment Division Secretary Dr Ejaz Munir over the posting.
The incident came to the fore following an altercation between Swati’s domestic staff and his neighbours, whose cattle had reportedly trespassed the minister’s farmhouse and caused damage to his property.
In the meantime, it had appeared that Swat’s family may have been encroaching upon government land, following which the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had issued Swati’s wife, the owner of the property, a notice to remove encroachments and unauthorised construction from her farmhouse in 15 days.
The JIT had also sought from the CDA complete details of Swati’s residence.