The Supreme Court was Tuesday informed that extradition process of Hamesh Khan, former president Bank of Punjab, accused in Rs 9 billions scam would be completed within ten days.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Ghulam Rabbani, directed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Bank of Punjab (BoP) not to harass the family of Sheikh Afzal, the main accused in Haris Steel Mills fraud case, while Afzal's family was ordered to cooperate with the NAB and BoP for the recovery of outstanding amount.
Appearing on notice, deputy prosecutor general NAB Raja Amir informed the court that right now Hamesh Khan was in the custody of US State Department and waiting for his extradition. In July 2008, Hamesh Khan fled the country, despite being on Exit Control List (ECL). The court provided him several opportunities to appear and had assured security, but he did not turn up.
In December 2009, he was arrested in US on Pakistan's request. Later, the government initiated extradition proceedings, in this respect. Justice Department of US has been provided with all necessary documentary evidence by Pakistan Foreign Office. Hamesh Khan's counsel requested the court to direct NAB not to humiliate his client while bringing him back from US, which was accepted by the court.
Khawaja Haris, counsel for BoP told the court that due to non-co-operation of Sheikh Afzal's family, the main accused in the case, process of transferring the property to complete the plea bargain could not be completed. He said that most of the property was registered in the name of Haris Afzal, son of Sheikh Afzal, who is in hiding.
He said Haris Afzal had sworn before the court that he would cooperate with NAB and BoP authorities, but now he had run away and his mother claimed that he is in NAB or BoP custody, which was not correct. Fariah Afzal, spouse of Sheikh Afzal, complained that NAB officials were harassing her family and forcibly entered into her house and harassed the family, of which the court took notice, directing NAB not to harass the family.
She also pleaded before the court that the authorities does not allow the family to meet her spouse, who is in camp jail Lahore, upon which the court directed the IG Prison Punjab to extend visiting right to family.
The court was also informed that Rs 5.6 billion out of Rs 8.4 billion in the Haris Steel Mills fraud case has been secured, while about Rs 3 billion is outstanding. The Chief Justice said that on last hearing, the BoP had informed the court that out of the total amount - Rs 8 billion - Rs 5 billions have been secured. He remarked that people approached SC because they have faith in the apex court.
Azam Khan, Director Legal, of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court about investigation against former Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Fazeel Asghar, for his alleged role in escape of Sheikh Afzal from the country despite being on the Exit Control List (ECL). He said the investigation revealed that Fazeel Asghar was innocent and he did not help Sheikh Afzal to escape from the country.
The court also inquired NAB about the statement of Sheikh Afzal in which he disclosed a list of top lawyers to the newsmen who extorted millions of rupees from him to clear his loan default cases from the courts. He has alleged that Dr Babar Awan took Rs 40 million, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada Rs 10 million, Malik Muhammad Qayyum, the then Attorney General, Rs 20 million and Ali Waseem, the son of Wasim Sajjad, Rs 7.5 million.
Afzal said that Dr Babar Awan took Rs 5 million as fee and Rs 35 million for getting a favourable verdict from the then Islamabad High Court. Deputy Prosecutor General NAB informed the court that the process to verify the statement of Sheikh Afzal was under process and the department was conducting an independent inquiry into the matter.
The court directed the NAB investigation officer to speed up investigation process and adjourned the hearing till April 19. On September 27, 2007, the NAB Punjab had filed a reference in an accountability court against 12 people, including six officials of BoP and six others accused of Rs 9 billion fraud.
The investigation showed that the accused Sheikh Muhammad Afzal, Director Harris Steel Industries (Pvt) Ltd Lahore with co-accused Muhammad Munir, Ali Ijaz, Abid Raza and Irfan Ali in connivance with bankers, BoP ex-president Hamesh Khan, Haroon Aziz, Azizul Hameed, Muhammad Shoaib Qureshi, ex-general managers BoP, Muhammad Adil Khan, Muhammad Nauman Arif and Muhammad Ziaul Haq, ex-managers BoP allegedly opened 23 fictitious accounts by their fake and forged national identity cards and obtained loans of approximately Rs 9 billion from 2005 to 2007 with the help of fake documentation, bogus collaterals, fictitious guarantees and mortgage deals executed by fake persons.