Khawar Manika detained at Lahore Airport, handed over to ACE

LAHORE: Khawar Manika, the former husband of Bushra Bibi, was detained at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday. He was subsequently handed over to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

According to information obtained from a private news channel, Manika was en route to Dubai when FIA officials conducted a credential check at the airport. He was temporarily detained before being transferred to the ACE.

Bushra Bibi arrives to meet jailed husband

A case has been filed against Manika by the anti-corruption authorities. They assert that Manika, a government employee, had obtained the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) to travel abroad. However, he was stopped due to his name being on the Exit Control List (ECL).

According to a spokesperson for the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), a warrant for the arrest of Khawar Farid Manika was issued on September 14.

The spokesperson revealed that Khawar Manika, in his capacity, issued provisional certificates (PCs) for illegally constructed shops, leading to the collection of more than Rs 20 million in rent from these unlawfully erected establishments.

Following the fulfillment of all legal requirements, Khawar Manika is slated to be transferred to the Sahiwal region today. Specialized teams have been assembled to pursue the apprehension of other individuals wanted in connection with the case, as per the spokesperson’s statement.

Manika is a senior official in the Customs department and hails from Pakpattan. He is also known as a spiritual devotee of the 13th-century mystic Baba Farid Ganj Shakkar.

Reports indicate that Khawar’s father, Ghulam Muhammad Maneka, was a prominent politician and served as a federal minister during Benazir Bhutto’s tenure. Ghulam Muhammad Maneka passed away in 2011.