KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from taking action against TikTok sensation Hareem Shah in a money laundering case.
The SHC issued the stay order after Hareem’s lawyer filed an urgent petition against the FIA’s inquiry in a money laundering case on behalf of her husband, Syed Bilal Hussain Shah.
FIA had asked the State Bank of Pakistan to freeze all bank accounts held by Hareem and launched action against her social media accounts with the help of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The petitioners, nominating the Federation of Pakistan, FIA director, federal Ministry of Information Technology, PTA and SBP as respondents, had challenged FIA’s call-up notice issued to Hareem on January 13, directing her to appear before the Agency officials on January 19.
They maintained that Hareem was unable to appear before the FIA on the given date to join the inquiry as she was in London
The petition said Hareem is currently in London.
“A video of mine regarding foreign currency circulated on social media, however, I had issued a clarification statement regarding the video,” the petition read.
Hareem’s lawyer, Munir Ahmed Khan, informed the court that despite FIA’s orders for freezing the social media celebrity’s bank accounts, she wants to cooperate with the Agency in the probe but fears being arrested upon her return from the United Kingdom.
Khan assured the court that Hareem would join the inquiry as soon as she gets back to Pakistan.
At this, the SHC granted Hareem an exemption from the summon issued by the FIA till her return from London and restricted the Agency from any coercive action against the celebrity.
“No coercive action shall be taken against the petitioner till the next hearing,” the court remarked.
Moreover, the court also summoned FIA Sindh’s official responsible for conducting the probe in a personal capacity on the next hearing, due in the first week of March.
