SC directs removal of Bilawal, Murad names from no-fly list

islamabad — The Supreme Court on Monday ordered removal of the names of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Shah from the Exit Control List (ECL) and a joint investigation team’s report into the fake accounts case.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the case in the light of the report submitted by the JIT, and complete its investigation within two months.

The court was hearing a suo motu case regarding a delay in a 2015 probe into money laundering of billions of rupees via fake bank accounts. Both Bilawal and Shah were named in the report submitted to the court last month by the JIT which was tasked to probe the case.

The bench mandated the bureau to summon whoever it wishes, and instructed the JIT to continue its own probe. Justice Nisar remarked that the NAB can probe Bilawal and Shah independently and if they were found involved, a case can be filed then. The chief justice asked JIT counsel Faisal Siddiqui why the JIT had recommended placing Bilawal on the no-fly list in its report, adding that the JIT would have to clarify it.

Justice Nisar said: “Bilawal’s career is spotless till now. His father and paternal aunt were running the businesses and may have a role in this matter, but what is Bilawal’s role?”

Faisal Siddiqui said: “The JIT report mentions that the Park Lane property was bought through fake accounts and Bilawal has 25 per cent share in the property.”

The chief justice remarked,

“How does being a shareholder prove that Bilawal is part of the scandal. We can freeze the property but his name cannot be placed on the ECL on this basis.”

The chief justice wondered if the PPP chairman’s name had been included upon “someone’s directives”. He asked state prosecutor Faisal Siddiqui if the reason behind Bilawal’s inclusion in the investigation was to “defame someone”.

He also expressed his annoyance at the placement of the Sindh chief minister’s name on the ECL.

Several bigwigs, including former president Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, former president of Summit Bank Hussain Lawai and Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed were nominated in the case. Property tycoon Malik Riaz, his son-inlaw Zain have also been included in the probe.

Over 20 ‘benami’ (fake) accounts were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in private banks which were allegedly used for transfer of billions of rupees. The amount, according to the FIA, was black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.

The JIT report claimed that a close nexus had been found between a troika of Zardari Group, Omni Group and Bahria Town. —