FIA raids PML-N secretariat in Lahore over Arshad Malik video scandal

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday raided Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's central secretariat in Model Town, Lahore in connection with former accountability court judge Arshad Malik's video scandal case.

PML-N leader Ata Tarar confirmed FIA's raid, adding that the agency took a computer hard drive in its custody. He said that the drive contained data related to PML-N's internal matters.

The purpose of the raid was to confiscate material related to the case, sources privy to the matter told Geo News.

"This is Imran Khan Niazi's fascism and a machination of his vengeance," Tarar said, alleging that the newly appointed director general of the FIA, Wajid Zia, has "an anti-PML-N mindset".

The FIA has summoned a series of PML-N leaders for inquiry in the case. The agency has asked Tarar to pay them a visit tomorrow, whereas former information minister Parvaiz Rashid and Uzma Bukhari have been issued summons for December 30.

Arshad Malik video scandal

The video featuring Malik caused a storm in Pakistan after PML-N released a few parts of it – withholding six out of total seven videos – in which the former accountability court judge appeared to admit that he was blackmailed and pressurised to give verdict against PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif in order to jail him.

It is pertinent to mention here that Malik, as the accountability court judge in December 2018, had sentenced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference.

On July 12, Malik was relieved from his duties by the federal government for his alleged involvement in the scandal.

The same day, Malik had penned a letter to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) wherein he refuted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s claims, adding that he was offered Rs100mn as bribe.

On August 22, the Islamabad High Court had ordered disciplinary proceedings against Malik for violating the code of conduct.