*KARACHI - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested on Friday PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari’s aide Hussain Lawai in a money laundering scam.*
Lawai has served as the chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange and head of Summit Bank.
Twenty-nine accounts belonging to seven people have been used to launder around Rs30 billion in Sindh, according to the FIA, which is being called the ‘biggest money laundering case in Sindh’.
These people made accounts in three banks, including Summit Bank and Sindh Bank. The accounts are reportedly used by Anwar Majeed, another of Zardari’s close aides, and employees of the Omni Group.
Majeed has not appeared in court despite multiple notices being issued to him.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has taken notice of the money laundering scandal and summoned the FIA’s director general on Sunday, July 8, at 10am.
Summit Bank alone had 16 accounts with transactions of Rs20 billion.
Bahria Town head Malik Riaz’s son Zain Malik and Shahrukh Jatoi’s father Sikandar Jatoi had put money in the accounts. Zain reportedly put Rs2 billion in the accounts.
The FIA has said that it fears that the accounts are used to launder kickbacks from Bahria Town and other housing projects.