KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai o Saturday was remanded in custody of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) till July 11.
The Judicial Magistrate court (Sindh) approved physical remand of Lawai and Taha Raza after being presented in court earlier today after being arrested on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, Lawai was arrested by FIA officials over allegations of money laundering of billions of rupees.
FIA authorities claimed to be probing into a money laundering scandal worth Rs 35 billion impliating a political leader along with his aides.
The investigation was launched after the Financial Monitoring Unit of State Bank of Pakistan generated a suspicious transaction report in January, 2018 pertaining to 10 bank accounts.
According to the authorities, 32 people including Lawai are being investigated over money laundering allegations via ‘benami accounts’.
According to sources over 20 unnamed accounts were allegedly opened in private banks in 2013, 2014 and 2015 that carried out transactions worth billions.
FIA officials said that the money majorly gathered was black, earned from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
Lawai while talking to the media outside the court denied any such claims of being involved in money-laundering case.
He said that no such recovery has been made out of me, adding that “I’m president of a bank, not a mere branch manager”.
Lawai also asserted that he was uncertain why he was arrested, adding that maybe it was due to his ties with Zardari or for some other reason.
PPP co-chairman Zardari’s aide said “Time will tell why I’m being targeted, whether the money laundering happened or not”.
