RAWALPINDI: A special Customs Court in Rawalpindi denied super model Ayyan Ali’s bail application after hearing arguments from both sides. Ayyan Ali was arrested in March on charges of smuggling $500,000 abroad. Since then, she is being held at Adiala Jail.
Counsel for Ayyan Ali, Advocate Latif Khosa stated in the Customs Court that she was carrying money to hand over to her brother, who was travelling to Pakistan from Dubai.
In a review on Ayyan’s bail application, Khosa said the money seized is the joint property of the model and her brother. Khosa defended Ayyan stating that the super model was not taking money out of the country and was arrested before she could get her boarding card.
He also said that access to the VIP lounge is not difficult and anyone can get access on payment of Rs 1000, adding she was arrested at the point where there was no customs counter. He further added that the job of the Airport Security Force (ASF) is to check for weapons.
The model charges US $500,000 per show in foreign countries and is one of the investors in Pakistan, Khosa said, adding that it is a conspiracy to stop investors coming to Pakistan.
Customs lawyer Malik Kamal said the model was carrying the money in her personal baggage, adding the model failed to justify her stance and was caught red handed. The court denied the bail application after earlier reserving its decision.
