KARACHI - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur on Monday moved the SHC, challenging Federal Investigation Agency’s interim challan that declared her an absconder in a money laundering case.

Talpur submitted in her petition that FIA’s interim charge-sheet did not clearly mention the charges against her. The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money-laundering through fictitious accounts. PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s close aide and former Pakistan Stock Exchange Chairman Hussain Lawai was arrested earlier this month for his involvement in the money laundering case.

The FIA had submitted an interim charge sheet in FIR No.4/2018 under sections 419/ 420/468/471/ 109 PFC read with Section 5(2) PCA 1947 read with Section 3 and 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 lodged at FIA. State Bank Circle, Karachi.

Talpur pleaded to the court to declare null and void the FIA’s interim challan and issue a stay order on the action being taken on these grounds. She also prayed to the court to issue directions to stay or suspend the interim charge sheet.

It was submitted in the petition that the charge sheet does not reveal that any money laundering has been done by the petitioner which attracts section 3 and 4 AMLA. Similarly, no allegation of criminal misconduct has been levelled against the petitioner. The petitioner is not a public servant nor it has been alleged in the FIR that she abetted in commission of any offense.

Furthermore, the FIR does not show in any manner that the petitioner has committed any offence of cheating and or forgery which would attract Section 419, 420,468 or 471 and or 109 PFC. No role has been assigned to the petitioner in the interim charge sheet. The petitioner further stated that the banking court has proceeded to issue an unlawful order without considering the above facts and law.

On July 21, the FIA prosecution submitted interim charge sheet in which both PPP leaders Zardari and Talpur were named as absconding accused. Zardari’s business partner Anwar Majeed and his son were also named in the list of absconders that contains names of 20 people.

According to the prosecution, the accused were involved in facilitating the opening of 29 ‘fake’ accounts in the Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Limited. Billions of rupees were deposited into the said fake accounts and subsequently transferred to different accounts, including those of PPP Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari’s and his sister Faryal Talpur's company, Zardari Group. The group is shown to have received Rs15 million. The biggest transfer made out of the alleged fake accounts was to an Arab national, Nasser Abdulla Hussain Lootah, who is chairman of the Summit Bank’s board of directors.