ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted transit bail to Zafar Hijazi, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman, until July 17.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hijazi had submitted a bail petition in the IHC registrar’s office. He was, however, told that the high court was not the proper forum and he should approach the Special Judge Central (SJC), the special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
However, the petition was forwarded along with the registrar’s objection to the court of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani. Granting Hijazi a transit bail, Justice Kiyani ordered him to approach the SJC.
Hijazi remained seated inside the court when the petition was sent back to the registrar’s office for necessary changes for approval of transit bail.
Hijazi had filed for a pre-arrest bail under Section 498 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Pakistan. The SECP chief’s counsel, Sheikh Ansar, cited medical grounds as the basis for the request.
The petition stated that the jail environment was not conducive to Hijazi’s health, as he was on medication after a kidney transplant.
Hijazi’s request further stated that he wanted to be part of the investigation to prove all allegations levelled against him were wrong. An FIR was registered against Hijazi on the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday for tampering with official record.
Published in Daily Times, July 12th , 2017.
