The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought comprehensive reports from Commerce Ministry and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on progress in the National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) corruption case. Heading a three-judge bench, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also summoned Director General FIA to apprise the court to explain why Director FIA Lahore Waqar Haider was still investigating the NICL scam in spite of the fact that he was facing contempt of court proceedings in the instant matter.
Waqar Haider was present in the court during the proceedings, which visibly irked the Chief Justice of Pakistan. At the outset of hearing, the bench inquired from the counsel for FIA Munir Piracha as to why Qasim Dada had not been arrested and Mohsin Wariach was still at large.
Piracha informed the bench that the wealth looted in the NICL scam had been recovered from the accused and Dada would soon return to Pakistan voluntarily. The Chief Justice remarked that it appeared as if the Agency was 'performing its duties on probabilities'. During the course of hearing, Secretary Commerce Munir Qureshi told the bench that five properties had been attached and that he would take strict legal action against those involved without fear and favour.
The Chief Justice repeatedly asked Qureshi for a copy of the letter to FIA for action against the accused, which he failed to provide. The Chief Justice further remarked that nobody had briefed the Secretary Commerce over the prevailing issue. The bench inquired from Piracha about the efforts the Agency had taken to bring the accused back to the country. The bench also inquired from FIA and Secretary Commerce the actual cost to the exchequer of Amin Fahim's decision to appoint Ayyaz Niazi as Chairman NICL. The hearing was adjourned till 11th March.
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