FIA sends 12 questions to Farhatullah Babar via WhatsApp, seeks details of assets

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has sent a 12-point questionnaire to Farhatullah Babar, former senator and head of the PPP Human Rights Cell, seeking comprehensive details of his movable and immovable assets.

However, the questionnaire — dated March 28, 2025 — was delivered to Babar via WhatsApp on the evening of Friday, April 11, rather than through formal channels or his residential address.

In a surprising procedural lapse, the FIA directed Babar to submit his responses by April 7, 2025 — a date that had already passed by the time he received the notice.

The questionnaire, part of Enquiry No. Re-108/2025 under Section 160 of the CrPC by FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad, seeks: details of all bank accounts; list of vehicles registered in his name; income tax declarations and tax payment records; source of income; property owned by his spouse and dependents; benefits received during his Senate tenure; details of foreign funds received and their expenditure on public welfare; privileges awarded to him by the Senate; any additional relevant information he may wish to submit.

The enquiry stems from a complaint lodged by one Toseef Abbas, a resident of Morgah, Rawalpindi, alleging corruption, tax evasion, and illicit accumulation of assets.

Speaking to the media, Farhatullah Babar confirmed receiving the WhatsApp questionnaire on Friday evening, stating, “Curiously, the document is dated March 28, but I received it late on April 11, after office hours, and it asks for a response by April 7 — four days before I even saw it.”

He further stated that while he did appear before the FIA on March 28, he was not given these questions at the time, nor informed about the specifics of the complaint. “I was verbally asked to provide some income and asset details, and I formally requested a copy of the complaint to respond properly and in good faith,” he said. “Instead of providing that, they sent this detailed questionnaire via WhatsApp and followed it with phone calls.”

Babar criticised the handling of the situation, calling it an attempt to harass and publicly humiliate him. “This questionnaire goes far beyond the scope of tax data, delving into matters that may require retrieving records from various offices, potentially across borders and time zones. And all this, slammed on me on a weekend, after hours,” he said.

He added: “If this is not harassment or an effort to intimidate a senior citizen in his mid-eighties, then what is it? It reflects the mindset of the powerful who believe they are above the law and will never be held accountable. But I remind them: There is a God, and when His Mill starts grinding, it grinds exceedingly fine.”

Babar also pointed out that much of the requested information is already available with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). “There is no need to resort to such methods unless the intent is to target and humiliate,” he added.