Imran Ismail rejects possibility of governor's rule in Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Saturday rejected reports insinuating imposition of governor's rule in the province amid friction between the federal and provincial government over the ongoing money laundering case.

Addressing a joint press conference with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Khawaja Izhar ul Hasan, the governor said that the elected representatives will complete their respective tenures according to their constitutional mandate.

“Any possiblity of imposition of governor's rule in the province is not in my knowledge,” he said.

Governor Ismail also expressed his disappointment over the recent surge of target killing incidents in Karachi and vowed that the government will take control of the situation. “There have been a few arrests linked to the target killing incidents. These are unfortunate incidents but we will soon take control of the situation,” the governor added.

Following a series of actions in wake of the JIT report, the federal government on Friday released a list of 172 suspects whose names have been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Top Pakistan Peoples Party leaders including party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur are among those placed on the no-fly list. Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah are also included in the list.

Earlier today, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said his name was "fitted" in the report presented by the JIT probing a case pertaining to laundering of several billion rupees through fictitious bank accounts in the country.

Money laundering case

Meanwhile, a banking court on Friday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till January 7 in the ongoing money laundering case.

The Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.

The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed a close aide and Omni Group chairman and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by FIA in August.

Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.

The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.