ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday formed a committee, headed by Surgeon General of Pakistan, to examine medical condition of Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar heard the plea filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) seeking medical examination of the two accused held in their custody in a money laundering case.
During the course of proceedings, the CJP, while addressing, Medical Superintendent of Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr. Seemin Jamali, remarked that he had not taken the doctor to be weak.
"I supported you each time you approached the court. But, how is it possible that you have not been able to diagnose a patient?" Justice Nisar said.
I had kept Dr Jamali's integrity intact by not going near the MRI machine during my visit to JPMC as he was inside the department that day?" the chief justice remarked.
Is this not the Sindh government's failure as you have been unable to diagnose a single patient, he added.
Meanwhile, Aisha Hamid counsel for Anwar Majeed, pleaded that the matter was sub judice in lower court so there was no need of involvement of the apex court.
Sindh government should not be hesitant to get an independent check-up if it is clear, the CJ responded.
To, this she requested the bench Punjab doctors should not conduct the medical examination of her clients as it was matter of the Sindh government.
Justice Umer Ata Bandial, advised Advocate Aisha to avoid linking the matter to provinces.
The chief justice further added that the accused will be shifted to Islamabad and directed MS JPMC to form a committee within five days and inform the bench.
Then further hearing of the case was adjourned till September 24.
It is pertinent to mention here that, FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fake accounts, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.
Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.
Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources. The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money collected from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
Previously the amount laundered from these fictitious accounts was said to be Rs32 billion, however, FIA officials said late last month they found at least 15 more suspicious bank accounts, four of which have been confirmed as fake. A total of Rs6 billion were laundered via these four fake or ‘benami’ accounts.
After the disclosure, the total amount of money laundered via fake bank accounts climbed to Rs 41 billion.
APP