RAWALPINDI: Former federal minister for religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, was arrested from the courtroom after cancellation of his interim bail from the special court in the Hajj corruption case on Tuesday. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested Kazmi and shifted him to the FIA Zonal office lockup in Islamabad. The FIA will present Kazmi in court today (Wednesday) to get his physical remand. Special Judge (Central) Sohail Nasir conducted the hearing of the case. The court in its verdict said that Kazmi was directly involved in the Hajj corruption and his bank accounts and property also proved the corruption charges against him and dismissed his plea for extension in interim bail.
Kazmi’s counsel, Khurram Latif Khosa, argued in court that Kazmi was not involved in the Hajj corruption case and he was not nominated in the FIR as well, adding that two witnesses in their statements to the FIA had exonerated him of any charge as Kazmi was being victimised on political basis. The counsel said the FIA had failed to provide any evidence against him and his bail may be extended and termed all the allegations against Kazmi fabricated and baseless. FIA (Legal) Additional Director, Khalid Butt, presented the letter for appointing Hamid Faiz as a supervisor of buildings in Saudi Arabia. He said that red warrants were issued by the magistrate after getting all the proofs. The court reserved the decision on extending Kazmi’s bail for an hour – Dailytimes
