SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi arrested on record tampering charges
Hijazi's legal counsel maintained that both SECP officers named in the case had acted on their own
July 21, 2017
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday arrested Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Zafar Hijazi after Special Judge Central Tahir Mehmood cancelled his bail.
A lower court on July 17 had granted a five-day pre-arrest bail to Hijazi against two surety bonds worth Rs250,000 each after Hijazi filed for a pre-arrest bail as per Section 498 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Pakistan, citing medical grounds as the basis for the request.
A separate petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) today (Friday) demanding dismissal of Zafar Hijazi as SECP Chairman.
The petition that will be heard by LHC Justice Sham Mehmood Mirza on July 24 states that Hijazi misused his authority to tampered records to protect the Sharif family.
An FIA inquiry team had found Hijazi guilty of tampering the records of companies owned by the Sharif family and recommended registering a First Information Report (FIR) against him.
The team submitted a 28-page inquiry report to the Supreme Court (SC) on July 9, in which it endorsed the stance of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the offshore assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panamagate case.
Hijazi's lawyer had argued in court that SECP staffers did not tamper records of Chaudhry Sugar Mills under duress.
He stated that both SECP officers named in the case acted on their own, adding that officer Maheen Fatima's statement to the court did not make any mention of duress.
"Abid Hussain is a director and does not need any directives," Hijazi's lawyer said. "No such evidence has been brought forward that proves Hijazi was involved in the record tampering."
Hijazi taken to PIMS after his condition worsens
The SECP chief was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Geo News learnt Friday evening.
He was taken to the hospital after his condition worsened following cancellation of his bail.
'SECP officials pressurised to state against Hijazi'
Meanwhile, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed that "junior officers were pressurised to issue statement against SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi".
"SECP officials were told to record statement and given an assurance they would be taken out of it," he said, while speaking to Geo News.
The provincial minister claimed that SECP officials were asked to put the blame of Hijazi, adding the SECP chief has video clip of these subordinates.
"In the video clip, the SECP officials are seen in tears, telling as to who is forcing them to issue statement," Sanaullah said.
