SHC directs TikTok star Hareem Shah to appear before FIA by April 18

• SHC issues directive at a hearing of alleged money laundering case against Hareem Shah.
• Hareem's counsel submits her medical report written in Turkish showing she was unwell.
• Court adjourns hearing and directs Hareem to appear before FIA by April 18.

KARACHI: Tiktok star Hareem Shah on Tuesday was directed by the Sindh High Court (SHC) to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) by April 18 in the alleged money laundering probe, Geo News reported.

The SHC gave the directive during a hearing of a money laundering case against the Tiktoker.

At the outset of the hearing, the counsel representing Hareem submitted a medical report written in Turkish that showed that defendant of the case was unwell.

"My client is currently in Turkey and is unable to come back to Pakistan as doctors have suggested her to rest due to illness," the counsel informed the court.

At this, the court inquired as to what disease Hareem was suffering from and what treatment she was receiving.

Responding to the court's inquiry, the lawyer said that Hareem was undergoing ileoscopy and might take 15-20 days to return.

The court adjourned the hearing while directing Hareem to appear before the FIA by April 18.

SHC stops FIA from taking action against Hareem

The SHC had restrained the FIA from taking action against the TikTok sensation, issuing them a stay order over Hareem's petition challenging the probe launched by the agency.

The FIA had asked the State Bank of Pakistan to freeze all bank accounts held by Hareem and launched action against her social media accounts with the help of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

'Video aimed at fun'

Speaking to Geo News, Advocate Munir Ahmed Khan said that he had filed the petition under Article 199(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan [pertaining to the right to move a high court for the enforcement of any of the Fundamental Rights conferred by Chapter 1 of Part II shall not be abridged].

“We contended before the court that allegations against Hareem Shah are completely false. It’s shocking that the Government of Pakistan targeted her social media accounts and launched criminal proceedings against her over a video intended to entertain people."

He said that he informed the court on behalf of his clients, Hareem and her husband, that her social media accounts have been restricted which is highly vindictive.

Advocate Munir Ahmed Khan said that they are grateful to the SHC for issuing a restraining order against the FIA till further notice.

The case

The FIA had launched a money-laundering probe against Hareem after a video of her claiming to have travelled abroad with a large sum of money went viral recently.

On January 10, 2022, the TikToker uploaded a video on social media in which she could be seen flaunting two stacks of British pounds.

At this, the FIA had announced that it had initiated an investigation over Hareem's claim of having "successfully carried a hefty amount of money in cash to the United Kingdom" as against the law.

The FIA had decided to write a letter to the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency (NCA) to take action against Shah.

An FIA spokesperson told Geo News that an investigation regarding Hareem's travel to the UK was already underway, adding that the celebrity had herself confessed to laundering money to the UK, following which a probe was launched.