Judge’s video scandal: Atta Ullah Tarar appears before FIA

LAHORE (92 News) – Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Deputy Secretary Attaullah Tarar appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with its probe into a case related to the judge video scandal. Talking to the journalists after his appearance, the PML-N leader accused the government of appointing Wajid Zia, who led a joint investigation team that probed the Panama Papers case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as FIA director general to target the opposition party. He also announced to challenge the appointment of Wajid Zia’s appointment as DG FIA. On the occasion, dozens of PML-N workers chanted slogans in the favor of party’s deputy secretary. On Thursday, the FIA conducted a raid at the PML-N’s secretariat in Lahore’s Model Town over Judge Arshad Malik video scandal. According to sources, the FIA raided PML-N’s central secretariat in Model Town, Lahore in connection with former accountability court judge Arshad Malik’s video scandal case. The sources also said that the purpose of the raid was to confiscate material related to PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz’s presser in the case judge video scandal. Meanwhile, PML-N leader Ata Tarar confirmed FIA’s raid, saying that the FIA took a computer hard drive in its custody. “This is Imran Khan Niazi’s fascism and a machination of his vengeance,” he mentioned. “The cases which makes by the government against the opposition leaders, it could not prove any of them,” he maintained. Tarar further said that he will pay a visit tomorrow in the FIA, whereas former information minister Parvaiz Rashid and Uzma Bukhari have been issued summons for December 30.

Video leak controversy

On July 6, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, released alleged recorded video related to Judge Arshad Malik. Maryam Nawaz claimed that the person showed in the video during the meeting with Arshad Malik is lover of Nawaz Sharif. Nasir Butt met with the accountability court judge at his residence. Judge Malik, however, had said the video clip was not representative of their conversation. He had said it was cut and edited and was not reflective of what he said. The judge had said the PML-N, more notably Nawaz’s family, tried to bribe him during the former premier’s trial and when he didn’t cooperate, they threatened 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.