SC orders registration of case against SECP chairman

ISLAMABAD: The special bench of the Supreme Court overseeing the implementation of the Panama case verdict ordered on Monday the registration of FIR against Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman for tampering official records.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had submitted to the court the report on its inquiry into the SECP's alleged record tampering over the weekend. 

The FIA had identified SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi as the culprit behind changing official records of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, owned by the Sharif family, to help their case. 

The special bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, gave the order for registration of FIR after the attorney general informed the court of the result of the FIA's inquiry.  

Commenting on the issue, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed observed that the court will also have to see on whose orders the SECP chief was acting on. 

Picture leak issue 

Regarding Hussain Nawaz's plea to the bench to form a judicial commission into the leaking of his interrogation picture, the bench observed that the the government may form commission on the issue if it wants to.

Justice Ejaz also ordered that the person who leaked the picture should be identified. 

The Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had earlier informed the bench that the person responsible for leaking the premier's son's picture had been sent back to his parent department where appropriate action was taken against him. 

Notice of news items

Taking notice of news items published in the daily Jang and The News, the bench issued contempt of court notices to Editor in Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman and Publisher and Printer Mir Javed Rehman. The three-member bench has sought a clarification within seven days.

The bench also issued a contempt of court notice to The News' reporter Ahmad Noorani.

The bench also asked for transcripts of all speeches made in the last 60 days by PML-N's Talal Chaudhry, Railways Minister Saad Rafique and the PM's Special Assistant on Political Affairs Asif Kirmani, presumably to examine them for contemptuous content.

'Keep volume 10 secret'

The JIT’s head, FIA Additional Director Wajid Zia, pleaded the court not to make public volume 10 of the report, which will be used for further investigation as it contains matter of international legal assistance. The report consists of 10 volumes in total.

The respondents and petitioners were directed to approach the apex court’s registrar office to acquire copies of the JIT’s final probe report, which will likely not include volume 10 of the report. The bench also ordered to provide the attorney general with a copy of the report.

The court said the JIT members will now go back to their parent departments where they will have complete freedom. In case they are harassed, they should approach the Supreme Court, it observed further.

The hearing was then adjourned till July 17.

The orders and observations of the court followed the submission of the JIT's final probe report to the Supreme Court.