The Sindh Superior Court (SHC) issued on Monday a notice of presentation to the investigation officer (IO) for not responding to a petition presented by former President Dr. Arif Alvi who challenges the freezing of bank accounts and their family.
The court observed that the IO had not submitted an answer or appeared during the procedures.
A constitutional bank, headed by Judge Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, ordered the officer to appear at the next hearing on June 25 and explained the delay.
In a previous hearing, the court had allowed Dr. Alvi withdrawing up to RS1 million from one of the frozen accounts for essential expenses. Other stories that belong to him, his wife Samina Alvi and his son Awab, remain blocked.
The lawyer Ali Tahir, a lawyer for Dr. Alvi, told the Court that the National Crime Investigation Agency Cybernesism (Nccia) had issued letters without date to private banks that ordered freezing under section 25 of the Law on Washing against Money 2010, and Section 5 of the Law of FIA 1974.
Read: Alvi allowed to withdraw to RS1M
The petition argues that freezing was politically motivated and lacked a due legal process. The family alleges that the restrictions of the account have placed them under financial tension.
Last month, SHC had issued notices to the national wing of cyber crimes of the FIA and the banks in a request that challenges the bank accounts of Arif Alvi and its family.
During the hearing, lawyer Ali Tahir informed the Court that the general freezing of Dr. Alvi’s accounts and his family has caused an adverse impact that left them unable to cover their daily expenses.
The court, hearing the matter, said that notices would be sent to all relevant parties and their answers would be sought.
In a brief exchange, the bank commented that the lawyer must have received a rate for representing the case. To which, lawyer Tahir clarified that he was handling the matter pro bono.
