Record tampering case: SECP chairman Zafar Hijazi arrested

ISLAMABAD: Special Judge, Central, Islamabad, Malik Tahir Mehmood, rejected the bail plea of Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Zafar Hijazi in the record tampering case on Friday. After the rejection of the bail plea, FIA officials arrested Hijazi.

In the court, the lawyer of Hijazi argued that his client had been victimised on political basis and should be given an extension in interim bail. The counsel further argued that the SECP chief was not well and, therefore, shouldn’t be sent to jail.

The Joint Investigation team (JIT), which was probing the Panama case, said that Hijazi was involved in tampering with the record of Chaudhry Sugar Mills.

Till now, Zafar Hijazi was on interim bail. He appeared before the court to get an extension in his interim bail. However, it was challenged by the FIA. As the court rejected the bail, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested him from the courtroom.

The case against Hijazi was registered on the order of the Supreme Court after the court examined a report prepared by the JIT. The report stated that he had altered the record of the sugar mill and had been found guilty. Similarly, the FIA had also submitted a report in the SC which aligned its finding with that of the JIT and declared that the chairman had indeed altered the record. The FIA submitted a 28-page report in the SC regarding the case.

Before declaring the SECP chairman guilty, the FIA had given proper time to Hijazi to prove his innocence.Meanwhile, the SECP chief was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, after his condition worsened following the cancellation of his bail.

Meanwhile, the government decided to give the acting charge to Zafar Abdullah as the SECP chairman after the arrest of Zafar Hajazi. As the senior-most officer, Mr Zafar will be given the acting charge of the SECP.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Chairman Pervez Musharraf and Secretary General Dr Muhammad Amjad in a statement said that the arrest of SECP chairman was a good sign and a step forward towards eradication of corruption and start for better Pakistan.

Regarding the Panama case, the APML leadership said that they were hopeful that the Supreme Court’s decision would reflect the wishes of general public.Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf lauded the efforts of the Panama bench and said that all eyes were fixed at the Supreme Court. He expressed the hope that the apex court would decide the matter according to the Constitution and ensure superiority and implementation of law without any discrimination.