ISLAMABAD: Ayyan Ali filed a petition with the Customs Appellate Tribunal for early hearing of her restored appeal challenging announcement about money laundering of $500,000 in March 2015.
The appellant had prayed the tribunal to hold early hearing on the case. A division bench of the tribunal comprising Chairman, Justice (r) Manzoor Hussain and Ziauddin Wazir, was hearing the case.
According to the current schedule, the tribunal would resume the hearing on August 15. Ayyan Ali’s counsel Sardar Latif Khosa argued that his client was innocent and that the 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. Khosa had paid Rs 10,000 fine 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 the decision of a lower customs court regarding confiscation of $500,000. A fine of the similar amount was imposed on her 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.
Through the petition, Ayyan’s counsel challenged the said decision announced by a Rawalpindi customs court. The amount was confiscated by customs authorities and later the customs adjudication found her guilty of smuggling.
