ISLAMABAD: The Customs Appellate Tribunal has issued notices to the parties in a restored appeal of model Ayyan Ali, challenging an announcement about money laundering of $500,000 in March 2015.
A division bench of the tribunal comprising Chairman, Justice (r) Manzoor Hussain and Ziauddin Wazir would resume the hearing on August 15.
A counsel for Ayyan Ali argued that his client was innocent. The counsel submitted that department had no 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 of the case.
Ayyan Ali’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa had paid a fine of Rs 10,000 for restoration of the case. Earlier, the case was dismissed for non-prosecution by the appellant.
Ayyan Ali’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa, had filed the petition at Customs Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad, challenging the 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 the 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.
Through the petition, Ayyan’s counsel challenged the said decision announced by a Rawalpindi customs court. The court had indicted Ayyan for trying to smuggle $500,000 out of the Pakistan. The amount was confiscated by customs authorities and later customs adjudication found her guilty of smuggling the said amount out of Pakistan.
The customs court maintained the departmental decision on confiscation of the amount and also added a fine of $500,000 (the same amount seized while being smuggled) from Ayyan.
