DUBAI - Pakistan People’s Party senior leader Syed Asif Hashmi was arrested by Dubai police on Tuesday afternoon. Dubai police have handed over Hashmi to Interpol.
Asif Hashmi has been a proclaimed offender and wanted by the FIA in a DHA-ETPB land deal case for over a year and fled the country to escape his arrest. FIA anti-corruption circle had registered a case against Hashmi on which he had left the country for Dubai.
However, Hashmi moved the Lahore High Court for protected bail to appear before court in December 2014, but his request was turned down on the ground that it was made by a neighbour while as per law it must be filed by any family member of the accused. Hashmi sold the ETPB 1,946 kanal land to DHA on 25 per cent exemption basis in 2009, whereas same land was recommended by former ETPB chairman Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan on 33 per cent exemption basis to DHA in 2001.

The land was situated in Dera Chahal, Lidher and Mota and difference of 8 per cent caused loss of Rs 2 billion while another 225 kanal land was evacuated from DHA which was occupied in connivance with ETPB officials and Hashmi team.