ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency to cancel the passports issued to Tauqir Sadiq, the former Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority chairman, and submit a report on efforts to arrest him on Thursday (today). Sadiq, a close relative of Jahangir Badr – the Pakistan People’s Party’s secretary general – has been accused of misusing the authority, embezzling funds and causing Rs82 billion losses to the national exchequer by converting operating income (regular income) into non-operating income in violation of an agreement signed with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, relocating several CNG stations, making illegal appointments. Appearing before a two-judge bench, FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan submitted that they would inquire about the issuance of two passports to Sadiq. He said they had gathered information about his escape from Pakistan and forwarded the same to the Interpol. “We will ask the Interpol to issue red warrant for Sadiq’s arrest,” he added. Upon this, Justice Jawwad Khawaja, who was heading the bench, wondered how a man, who embezzled Rs82 billion, could disappear under the very nose of the police. The judge also observed that it was the duty of the police to apprehend him. FIA official Azam Khan once again told the bench that the former Ogra chief had flown out of the country, but there was no record of the flight he had taken. He, however, added that “the convict entered into Kathmandu from the UAE on November 28 last year and stayed there till December 26.” Khan also told the bench that when a three-member police team was sent to Kathmandu, Sadiq left for Dhaka. The bench expressed annoyance over the authorities’ failure to arrest him, with Justice Khawaja remarking that when the law-enforcement agencies were not interested in apprehending the former Ogra chairman, then what the courts could do. He ordered the Punjab Police to submit a report on those who aided the absconder to escape from the country within six days. The judge also remarked that the law-enforcement agencies did not appear to be aware of the whereabouts of the accused. National Highways & Motorway Police Inspector General Zafar Abbas Lak told the court that they had formed a team, comprising the deputy inspector general, inspector and himself, for arresting Sadiq.Also, the bench ordered the National Accountability Bureau to submit an interim report about the actions taken so far to enforce the apex court’s orders of December 18 and 31. NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Fozi Kazim told the bench that they had sent the references against the accused to the accountability court, Rawalpindi, but there was not any judge administration there.Upon this, the court directed a deputy attorney general to obtain information from the Ministry of Law & Justice as to why no judge could be appointed in the accountability court, and submit a report on Thursday (today), the next date of the hearing.