ISLAMABAD: The Customs Appellate Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Ayyan Ali for not following the case and responding to the notices.
The tribunal’s bench imposed the fine while hearing Ayan’s petition for restoration of money laundering case that has been dismissed twice for non-prosecution after the appellant failed to take part in tribunal’s proceedings despite issuance of multiple notices. A division bench of the tribunal comprising Chairman Justice (r) Manzoor Hussain and Ziauddin Wazir heard the arguments. Afterwards, the bench set February 13 for hearing of the arguments.
Earlier, while hearing the previous petitions, the bench had time and again issued notices to Ayyan Ali and her counsel Latif Khosa. The tribunal then had imposed the said fine for ignoring the tribunal’s notices.
Ayyan Ali had filed petition with the Customs Appellate Tribunal for early hearing of her restored appeal, challenging an announcement about money laundering of $500,000 in March this 2015. Her counsel argued that his client was innocent. The counsels submitted that the department had not sufficient evidence to prove that black money was being laundered. He asked the tribunal to set aside the announcement made by the customs court. The bench then dated in office the hearing.
Ayyan Ali’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa had paid fine Rs 10,000 for restoration of the case. Earlier, the case was dismissed for non-prosecution by the appellant.
Khosa had filed the petition at Customs Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad, challenging a decision of a lower customs court regarding confiscation of $500,000, seized while being smuggled by Ayyan Ali, and imposition of fine for trying to smuggle money out of Pakistan.
Ayyan was arrested from Benazir Bhutto International Airport with $500,000 in March 2015. The Airport Security Force intercepted her and recovered the said amount from her luggage. She was released on bail after four months in Adiala Jail.
The customs court maintained departmental decision on confiscation of the amount being tried to smuggle and also added a fine of $500,000 (the same amount seized while being smuggled) on Ayyan.
