News
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
FIA sends another notice to Gilani in Hajj corruption case* Ex-PM’s lawyer says FIA investigating officer has personal grudge against Gilani as he had transferred him to Gilgit
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Rejecting former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s reply, the FIA has again issued a notice to him in the Hajj corruption case.
It has been learnt that the FIA expressed dissatisfaction over the former PM’s reply and issued another notice to record his statement. Talking to Daily Times, Gilani’s counsel, Faisal Hussain said the FIA’s investigating officer was acting mala fide by sending a second notice to his client.
He claimed the team head had a personal grudge against Gilani as he had transferred him to Gilgit during his tenure. He said they would submit a reply to the FIA on the second notice today (Tuesday).
Earlier, former PM Gilani contended in his first reply the agency’s notice to him was in violation of Article 248(1) of the constitution. He also expressed distrust over the head of FIA’s investigating team, Hussain Asghar, which is probing corruption in Hajj arrangements in 2010. The reply stated the only allegation made in the notice pertains to monetary consideration in appointing Rao Shakeel as the Hajj director general. “The prime minister is the final authority in making hundreds of such appointments yet his decision is based on a summary received from the relevant ministry, which contains input from several other officials within the domain of the hierarchy of the process for appointment.”
It also added as such any allegation of financial or monetary benefit or impropriety in these circumstances in isolation against the former PM is an absolute impossibility.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk