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RAWALPINDI: Wearing a hoodie and baseball cap pulled low, supermodel Ayyan Ali attempted to shield her face on Saturday as she left the courtroom of Judge Mumtaz Ali accompanied by customs officials.
Earlier on Saturday, the supermodel was arrested at Benazir Bhutto International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle $506,800 in her luggage.
Ms Ali was stopped as she was on her way to board an Emirates flight to Dubai. According to the Airport Security Force (ASF), officials spotted the currency tucked away in the pockets of a suitcase she had in her carry-on luggage.
Deputy Collector Customs Naveed Bugvi told Dawn ASF officers stopped Ms Ali at the Rawal Lounge after baggage scanners detected an anomaly.
“Customs officials were called and Customs Collector Zeba Azhar found $506,800 in the suitcase,” he said. Mr Bugvi said an FIR was registered under the Customs Act 1969.
He said passengers are allowed to carry up to $10,000 when travelling abroad. “Ms Ali should have transferred the money through her bank,” he said.
A customs official told Dawn that when the model was told that she was not allowed to carry such a large amount of cash abroad, she claimed ignorance of the law and said she planned to use this money for the launch of a new video.
Following the registration of a case, Ms Ali was sent to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for a medical checkup.
“At the hospital, she complained of chest pain. Doctors conducted an ECG, which came out clear,” said the doctor on duty.
The special court for customs, taxation and anti-smuggling has sent her to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2015
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Comments (101) Closed
Mar 15, 2015 12:20pm
thanks GOD she caught here in Pak other wise in UAE, she will face punishment. lucky lol
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Mar 15, 2015 12:28pm
there is a legal way of doing that, stupid excuse!
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Mar 15, 2015 12:40pm
I wasn't aware of the law... please...
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Mar 15, 2015 12:40pm
She was working for somebody. And possibly this is is not the first time
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Mar 15, 2015 12:58pm
Unfortunate incident. But she is stunning.
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Mar 15, 2015 01:06pm
What about so many others who have done the same, they should be caught too, why are they roaming around free with wealth stashed away in every corner of the world. Law is not the same for the big fish and aam admi.
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Mar 15, 2015 01:07pm
where did she get half a million dollars??!!
why nobody asking this question?
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Mar 15, 2015 01:30pm
what about the 300 + politcos and other elite who go abroad whit millions of dollars without any interruption. It is rumored sometime they smuggle drugs when they run out of money to smuggle to their western bank accounts......apparantly a good conspiracy stuff...
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Mar 15, 2015 01:45pm
My sympathies with the young lady but she knew it was wrong and in spite of pretty face will met her punishment.
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Mar 15, 2015 01:56pm
Somebody cares to check her last year's tax returns?
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Mar 15, 2015 02:25pm
@Ajamal ..So what would u recommend ? Free her ??
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Mar 15, 2015 02:34pm
Come on woman! You had a career as a model you should have worked on that. Tch what a way to throw away your life like that. I am sure these 14 days in Adiyalia will be an incentive to probe your conscience a little bit :D
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Mar 15, 2015 02:37pm
Well done Customs & ASF, legal channel is available for transferring such a huge amount. It seems a case of transfer of undeclared wealth or may be money washing.
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Mar 15, 2015 03:02pm
@asgher: Because the others who captured that money, it is belong to them now...........:)
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Mar 15, 2015 03:08pm
wow that's a big amount. she cannot be that stupid that she doesn't know the law. if she is lying, she was definitely doing something wrong. Good she is caught.
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Mar 15, 2015 03:55pm
Everyone is very busy stealing from the nation, why NOT her too, I would love to know how she earned this amount in $.
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Mar 15, 2015 03:57pm
10 years behind the bars wil make her learn that what she did was illegal.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:15pm
And brother of Rehman Malik, traveling with her, was the producer of the video. Lame excuse.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:18pm
What about Mr Rehman Malik? Has he come out with any statement
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Mar 15, 2015 04:20pm
There are banks
At least she got caught Pakistan and she will not be prosecuted
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Mar 15, 2015 04:33pm
Excellent job by customs official. Look a little harder and you will find many more, many many more doing the same.
Milking the nation.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:35pm
If she was caught with this sum in Canada, they would not return her money unless or untill she has proof where it came from, secondly she would be prosecuted for money laundering.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:47pm
Now, face the music...:)
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Mar 15, 2015 04:52pm
And the super-model born in a desert kingdom or her chaperone never heard of an institution called BANK! These people insult the intelligence of Pakistanis!
I doubt whether the law would be allowed to take its due course but at least thanks to our media, we get to hear of these bizarre "robberies" taking place in our country by the lawless rich and influential people.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:56pm
Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
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Mar 15, 2015 04:56pm
@think_then_speak fo you know of any? Do we should let everyone go?
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Mar 15, 2015 04:57pm
@Dr. Sadaf so she is a small fish?
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Mar 15, 2015 04:58pm
@m h kayani could you name the people she stole it ftom? Does it belong to you? If so how did you acquire it.
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Mar 15, 2015 05:00pm
The should send her to ATC. This could be terrorist funding.
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Mar 15, 2015 05:03pm
5 crores of PKRupees? A model has so much money? Banking system yet to set in Pak? Something is seriously wrong. Please do not spread more violence across the world.
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Mar 15, 2015 05:04pm
@Abdulla Hussain
my friend, can a model in Pak earn 5 crore rupees?
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Mar 15, 2015 05:05pm
Rs. 5 crore in loose cash..how much her account may have..! do they really earn so huge in show buzz..
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Mar 15, 2015 05:07pm
Was this tax paid money...??? where did she get the dollars from...???
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Mar 15, 2015 05:08pm
Just refreshing memory. Once the great singer, Mr Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, singing for free in India was caught at Indian airport with 50k dollars. The then Indian home minister Mr. Chidambaram had intervened to free him. Ordinary Indians would have been in judiciary custody for breaking the foreign exchange law, he as a celebrity got away easily. Celebrities have a way above ordinary citizens in third world countries like ours.
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Mar 15, 2015 05:33pm
Send her to the British courts to face justice . They British did a great job on our cricketers whereas our own judiciary was impotent
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Mar 15, 2015 05:38pm
She's only 21 she immature and It's her money leave her alone.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:06pm
ignorance is not a Defence and claiming to have chest pains is not either. stupid woman,so if shes going to put the money towards making a video why not transfer it via a bank account like normal people would do.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:07pm
@Dr. Sadaf i dont think they care about others that have done this or are doing it she is the one who got caught red handed so she will ave to face the punishment.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:18pm
@dawn reader she claims to be 21? looks more like a 27yr old , ignorance will not get her off this one she can always model in jail.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:20pm
@Nasir they will take everything off her house cars any other money hidden and then throw her in jail.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:20pm
she was just a carrier for the rehman malik's bro
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Mar 15, 2015 06:29pm
where this money come from i don't think models and actress make that much in Pakistan.
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Mar 15, 2015 06:45pm
How about a vedio from Adiala jail?
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Mar 15, 2015 06:58pm
SUPER Model to Super thief... In just 5secs
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Mar 15, 2015 07:02pm
Remember Rahat Ali Khan had to pass through same ordeal at Mumbai airport.He had also $ 5000o in his possession and he did not know about the law. yes I do agree with her that many people don't know the law. he must be only prosecuted under Income tax law.
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Mar 15, 2015 08:00pm
Check her tax returns and make sure she pays last 5 years of taxes
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Mar 15, 2015 08:04pm
God do not combine two things together, beauty and intellect. It's proved now.
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Mar 15, 2015 08:06pm
Clearly some corruption going on. This money should be traced. Her ladder to success has been exposed
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Mar 15, 2015 08:14pm
Yes that is true that many people don't know the law. It help tracking the money. Cash money has no record and it can be used for ill means. She should be given the benefit of doubt.
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Mar 15, 2015 08:17pm
what!!!!!! launch a music video into space? or are you not only a supermodel but also superwoman?
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Mar 15, 2015 08:33pm
Guys, you are all wasting your time (and me too). Nothing will happen to her. She will come clean. A nice story would come up and we would all feel "SORRY" for her. This is the way our law protects so called CELEBRITIES. Don't you guys remember famous Atiqa Oddo case.
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Mar 15, 2015 08:51pm
so much interest in this smallest of stories... shows what the people look for and what grabs their attention.
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Mar 15, 2015 08:59pm
@asgher , play a guessing game and you will get your answer, it is not so hard to get to the point where did she get it from.
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Mar 15, 2015 09:01pm
@Lahab , and she thought she would get away with it by using the usual gimmicks. lot of miscalculation.
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Mar 15, 2015 09:10pm
@zubaida khan , I do not care which fish she is, if she has been caught then there others who are involved in such activities who are actually the big fish and should also be taken to task. Law should be the same for everyone, hope you get my very simple point.
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Mar 15, 2015 09:12pm
@Bea , because they always turn a blind eye when others are doing it since that is part of their job.
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Mar 15, 2015 09:15pm
@adnan , it has surely grabbed your attention.
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Mar 15, 2015 09:24pm
Why brother of ex-interior minister went with her for medical check up instead of catching his flight for Dubai. It wasn't first time; i feel pity on her as working for a corrupted one, but i am damn sure she was gonna get plenty of share out of 0.5 Million after reaching.
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Mar 15, 2015 10:06pm
It is pathetic that how our lives as a nation revolves around greed and money and that all with a lot of excuses.
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Mar 15, 2015 10:08pm
What is the legal way to transfer such a big amount? Can't we show prove of where money came from at the airport? will they allow to take the money?
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Mar 15, 2015 10:11pm
She must not lie now and tell the police the source of so much cash and the people behind this.
Of course if she tells all she might be killed when she is released or I hope she is not taken care of before she tells.
Dumb beautiful girl.
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Mar 15, 2015 10:16pm
The money most probably belonged to her and not some politician (Rehman Malik), since politicians know the game of smuggling the laundered money out of the country too well, they are experts. This is a mistake of someone with very little experience of handling and moving the money and proves money is hers, but how she got so much as such young age is another question which authority must ask.
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Mar 15, 2015 10:18pm
I love it when Indians and Pakistanis who are caught doing illegal stuff immediately complain of chest pain. Its pure comedy. I have seen so many healthy Indian politicians suddenly complain of chest pain when caught doing something wrong. I am reminded of my childhood when I used to complain of stomach ache when I didn't want to go to school.
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Mar 15, 2015 10:50pm
custom officials didnt know who she is else she would have been given the safe passage. as our official usually does for all well known
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Mar 15, 2015 11:11pm
It seems she was too proud to ask for a protocol departure.
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Mar 15, 2015 11:29pm
@Lahab Dear she will give 6800$ to custom and will be released.
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Mar 15, 2015 11:36pm
@Khan
Her talent hasn't faded. She can get back to new heights. A lot of entertainment personalities had rubs with law. Not a big deal. Only if fans are unforgiving, but never the case over glamor or charm offensive business.
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Mar 15, 2015 11:45pm
Ignorance of law is no excuse.
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Mar 16, 2015 12:30am
@Khan money laundering is not theft. Bhatta khuri is
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Mar 16, 2015 12:32am
Poor excuse for money laundering.
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Mar 16, 2015 12:43am
@jimmy rocks
Right, specially when they are accompanied by an ex-interior minister's brother with assurance of protection from the law.
Solution is easy. Obtain her bank statements for previous 10 months from all the banks where she holds accounts. Obtain the date of her last trip out of Pakistan and who accompanied her. Put two and two together and catch the guarantor Rehman brother as well and let them enjoy music in Addiyal jail for a few days/ months/years.
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Mar 16, 2015 01:04am
super naught baby.for music vedio only this ?
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Mar 16, 2015 01:11am
@dawn No excellent job they surely not get their share.people from hare take drugs and caught in other countries how possible.Is her solo flight that made he to catch
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Mar 16, 2015 01:37am
a guy once was travelling to USA form Canada. He had 10,000 CAD without knowing the exchange rate made the money more than 10,000 USD on that day. He was arrested and the money confiscated.
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Mar 16, 2015 02:01am
per dr. shahid masood the money belonged to an ex ppp minister and his brother was also travelling with her, why no other media point this out?
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Mar 16, 2015 03:54am
So lets ask her who was she going to give the money to. I mean who was going to take Half a million dollar cash for video. That person should be caught if found habitual as this could be tac embazelment??????
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Mar 16, 2015 05:43am
Perhaps the money belongs to some body else. She was just a carrier for a fee. May be she should confess. She can be given the amount of fee, and rest of the money confiscated and put in government treasury (to be stolen by Nawaz later).
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Mar 16, 2015 05:43am
Politicians smuggle money all the time and don't go to jail yet an artist does. I don't think this is gonna talk fairly though i don't agree with either as conducive to our society. Nevertheless those wishing to invest in Pakistan will have to think twice.
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Mar 16, 2015 06:29am
Super model... So naive ? that in a suit case? Seizure declared by 'Customs'.wow
That is happening too fast!
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Mar 16, 2015 06:30am
@adnan very well said.
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Mar 16, 2015 07:06am
It's 'pretty' dumb to carry such a huge sum in your purse -- when the banks could do it for you. Who is her financial adviser? Arrest him/her.
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Mar 16, 2015 07:12am
Billions of dollars are gone ,what she had done is nothing new. Why don't you catch finance minister,Zardari,Maulsna Seidel,Altaf Husain . And the list goes on , at least it was her own money she didn't Robed u
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Mar 16, 2015 08:07am
she was carrying money of a previous PPP senator and minister---these politicians are the worst as they use everybody paricularly models,actresses etc for all nefarious purposes
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Mar 16, 2015 08:13am
As that money belonged to her and she just used an illegal way of taking it to Dubai. I think she should be excused and warned to be more careful next time.
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Mar 16, 2015 08:35am
Looool yes I belive her....NOOOOT.
Customs rules are also stupid. You can carry $10000 US but only 3000 Pak rupees. The airport longe entry is 1000 rupees and if the flight is delayed for eight hours like mine was you have to pay another 1000. Then upon return flight I only had 1000 rupees left. Not enough for a taxi home. PLEASE PLEASE get someone with a brain to see its more important to keep foreign curreny in the country that the rupee that not even Pakistanis want.
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Mar 16, 2015 09:15am
@Ibby What a coincidence that she was travelling with Rahman Malik's brother Khalid Malik on same flight, who preferred to miss his flight so that this poor girl with more than half million stashed in her carry-on baggage could seek medical attention.
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Mar 16, 2015 09:40am
Brave & Beautiful ! , carrying 500000$ cash in a bag roaming around in Pakistan , very safe !! ?? , and feeling a pain in chest only after being caught !! , Traveled abroad at least a 100 times to so many countries ( check her passport) and She does not know the law of carrying the cash limit ? bank transfers ?
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Mar 16, 2015 09:58am
Half a million Dollars lol, which music video???LMAO
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Mar 16, 2015 10:03am
Someone in the corridors of power is not happy with her. Remember Atiqa Odho a few years ago? That episode was hushed up with astonishing alacrity. Let's see where this one goes. Fourteen-day remand is not a bad start. May be she can rehearse her moves in Adiala jail.
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Mar 16, 2015 10:12am
She did nothing wrong. The only difference is, some are allowed and some are don't.
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Mar 16, 2015 10:50am
money hidden in bags and ignorance of law?
e-ticket clearly dictates how much cash you can take out of the country and how much you can bring in. she did not declared THAT is why she got caught. she can't spin it though but those who backed her for this run, will get her out of jail as well.
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Mar 16, 2015 11:33am
@jimmy rocks there is difference between 50k and 500k. Besides rahat had proof of where the money came from and why he was carrying it.
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Mar 16, 2015 12:00pm
ok, now please tell us where that money came from. And please don't say it was raining US Dollars in your back yard!
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Mar 16, 2015 01:33pm
What happened with altaf case regarding money laundering ????
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Mar 16, 2015 04:05pm
Please let her go as our leaders carry millions in suit case in their private planes but this hard working model did not do a major crime. Our Customs go after common man not bigger smugglers.
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Mar 17, 2015 01:07am
So she was money laundering for a big gun from PPP. How interesting that house she is claiming to sold is to senior PPP leader Rahman Malik' brother and the defense attorney representing her in the case is the son of senior PPP leader Latif Khosa. Looks like PPP has surrounded her and will probably either try to hush hush the matter or the days of this model are numbered. Either way, she is cooked.
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Mar 17, 2015 01:10am
@Aisha - She was smuggling for a politician. Where would she get half million dollars from? Care to explain which profession in Pakistan pays half a million dollar? This is how politicians launder money. Use artist, sports men, mules etc.
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Mar 17, 2015 07:30am
A music video for $500000. And you want us to believe this? Silly stupid woman.
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Mar 17, 2015 08:56am
I am glad that she's jailed , just because she's some model does not mean she should be given a VIP treatment . Money laundering is a very serious crime and should be punished severely.
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Mar 17, 2015 12:05pm
Silly girl should have asked any minister of state for advice on how to do it without getting caught. Mr. Zardari would have gladly helped you for 10% of the amount.
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Mar 17, 2015 04:09pm
How many times she has done it before?
She is a frequent traveller.
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