The Interior Ministry on Monday denied issuing any directives to bar former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur from flying abroad in relation to a money-laundering case.
“We have not issued any instructions to bar Zardari and Talpur from leaving the country,” the interior secretary said.
“Will look into the matter after orders from court,” he added.
Earlier today, media reports claimed that the former president and his sister had been barred by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from leaving the country.
Sources reported earlier that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman is among seven suspects placed on the FIA's 'stop-list' — a provisional list of FIA barring suspects from flying abroad before they are formally placed on the Exit Control List.
Following the reports, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari summoned an emergency meeting of the party's central executive committee in Lahore.
The FIA registered a case in Karachi last week over a money laundering scandal of Rs35 billion said to implicate politicians, businessmen and bankers.
On July 6, FIA arrested Stock Exchange of Pakistan chairman Hussain Lawai, considered a close aide of Zardari.
FIA officials maintain that 32 people, including Lawai, are being investigated for laundering billions of rupees through fictitious bank accounts.
