Dawn Images

A Special Court (Central) on Wednesday extended the interim bail of TikToker Dr Fazeela Abbasi in a money laundering and illegal clinic case, while directing her to join the investigation as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a challan in one of the cases.

The hearing was conducted by Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar, where Dr Fazeela Abbasi appeared along with her counsel Naeem Bukhari. During the proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that a written response had been received from the accused, stating that she had not personally appeared before investigators.

At this point, Dr Fazeela Abbasi interjected, telling the court that she had appeared multiple times. However, her counsel immediately advised her to remain silent, reminding her that legal submissions should be made through her lawyer. “I am your lawyer here; do not address the judge directly,” Bukhari told his client in open court.

Bukhari further argued that the trial court had earlier dismissed the bail petition on the grounds of alleged misuse of concession, a finding that was later set aside by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He maintained that the high court had clearly observed that there was no misuse of bail on the part of his client.

Responding to the arguments, Judge Dilawar remarked that the IHC had not made any observation regarding the merits of the case but had directed the trial court to decide the bail matter and ensure the accused joins the investigation. The judge also noted that the interim bail had already been in effect for nearly three months.

The court subsequently directed Dr Fazeela Abbasi to fully cooperate with the investigation process and extended her interim bail. The matter was adjourned until April 20 for further proceedings.

During the hearing, the accused also filed an application seeking the restoration of a joint bank account held with Hamza Ali Abbasi, which had been frozen by the FIA as part of its probe into alleged money laundering. The court took the application on record.

Meanwhile, the FIA submitted a challan in the money laundering case, marking a significant development in the investigation. According to officials, two separate cases have been registered against Dr Fazeela Abbasi — one related to alleged financial irregularities and the other concerning the operation of an illegal clinic.

The court is expected to take up both matters, including the bail confirmation and the request for restoration of the bank account, at the next hearing.

Originally published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026