Money-laundering case: JIT summons details of Sindh's annual developmental projects

KARACHI: A joint investigation team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court to probe into an ongoing money laundering case summoned details of the Sindh government's annual developmental projects on Sunday.

According to a source, the JIT has sought details of development projects from 2013 to 2018, including the project charter, allocated budget, cash outflow, revise schemes and expenses.

“JIT has requested the Sindh chief secretary to submit the details by November 12,” the source added.

 

The source added, “After the request from JIT, the Sindh chief secretary directed the departments of planning, finance, power, irrigation, works, health, education, agriculture among others to submit the relevant details by Monday.”

Earlier, the JIT had written a letter to the Sindh government and sought records for the past 10 years of bank accounts owned by the provincial government.

According to the letter, the JIT has sought records for the past 10 years of the transactions made by the provincial government. “The Sindh government should share the records of all accounts in all banks,” the letter read.

Further, details have also been sought of the contracts awarded in the water and communication and works departments in the last 10 years. “Details should be shared regarding how much money was invested in and how many contracts were awarded pertaining to these two departments in the last 10 years,” the letter stated.

Details of contractors, including their names, addresses and NIC numbers, have also been sought. The letter also mentions the suo motu notice taken by the Supreme Court regarding the case.

The case

The Federal Investigation Agency is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe. The former president's another close aide and Omni Group chairman, Anwar Majeed, and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, were also arrested by the FIA in August. Lawai, Majeed and his son remain under custody.

Earlier this month, FIA sources informed that the mastermind of the money laundering and fake accounts case, Aslam Masood, had been arrested by the Interpol from Jeddah.