Amin Fahim’s account swells with NICL’s Rs 90 million

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry Thursday said the people who squandered the wealth of nation are being exonerated from the cases, adding the account to which the money was transferred is maintained with the signature of Federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, instead of his wife’s.
According to a private TV channel, the three-member-bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, heard the suo motu case of the NICL Rs 5.34 billion scam.
Heading the bench, the Chief Justice Chaudhry expressed displeasure over the absence of Commerce Secretary Zafar Mehmood, saying, “Why Mr. Secretary did not show up as he was to account for the appointment of Ayaz Khan Niazi.”
Additional Commerce Secretary told the court that Secretary Zafar had no prior program; however, he had to leave for China along with President Asif Ali Zardari on two-day visit.
On this, the Chief Justice Chaudhry said he would have told President Zardari about the secretary’s court appearance and he (Zardari) would have understood the same.
“Why was no appeal filed against the acquittal of Munis Elahi?” CJP Chaudhry queried the additional commerce secretary who apprised the court, “Further investigations against Munis Elahi are underway.”
But, the one in charge of the investigations has been removed, the CJP remarked, as six Director Generals of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were dismissed from their offices in the meantime.
He questioned as to how 900 million rupees were siphoned off from the NICL to the account of Khwaja Akbar Butt.
Replying to this, FIA Karachi Director Muazzam Jah told the court that Khwaja Akbar Butt transferred this money to the federal commerce minister Amin Fahim’s account.
Have you ever sought from your officers as to how to undertake action against Amin Fahim, the CJP Chaudhry asked the FIA official, remarking only the nations who differentiate between the privileged and underprivileged, are wiped out.
All the money will be extracted from the officers, if no headway is achieved in this case, the CJP Chaudhry cautioned.
The court adjourned the hearing till June 11.