Faryal Talpur challenges FIA’s interim charge-sheet in money-laundering case

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KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur challenged on Monday the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) interim charge-sheet in the money-laundering case.

The FIA is investigating alleged fake bank accounts from which money was laundered and has named PPP supremo Asif Zardari and his sister, Talpur, among the 32 suspects.

Talpur did not appear before the FIA earlier as she sought more time. The PPP leader, who recently won from a provincial assembly seat, obtained pre-arrest bail until August 6 from a banking court in Karachi on July 28.

She had earlier obtained a six-day protective bail from the SHC.

In her application before the Sindh High Court today, Talpur stated that the FIA’s interim charge-sheet does not clearly mention the charges or her name.

She has pleaded the court to dismiss the FIA’s charges and issue a stay order on the action being taken on its basis.

On July 12, while hearing the suo motu case on the FIA’s investigation, the Supreme Court had ruled that the agency should not summon Zardari and Talpur until the July 25 election.

The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money-laundering from fictitious accounts, under which Zardari’s close aide and then-Pakistan Stock Exchange Chairman Hussain Lawai was arrested earlier this month.