Peshawar High Court. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court restrained the Ehtesab Commission from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA’s father who was allegedly involved in a corruption case.
The restraining order was issued by a bench comprising Justice Musarat Hilali and Justice Muhammad Younis Thaheem on Friday during the hearing of a petition filed by Noor Daraz Khattak, father of Karak lawmaker Gul Sahib Khan.
The EC had served a call-up notice to Khattak regarding the investigation of a plaza, constructed in Kohat in 2004-05 when the accused was the tehsil municipal officer. Sahibzada Asadullah, counsel for Khattak, told the bench that PHC had granted bail to his client in two cases related to the embezzlement of funds and alleged illegal appointments.
Asadullah added his client was also accused of illegally accumulating assets and the very court had restrained the commission from arresting Khattak. He said in the instant case, several complaints were already filed in the court against the embezzlement of funds in the plaza’s construction. “There were departmental complaints against the alleged corruption in the construction and formal enquiry was initiated during the petitioner’s tenure as Kohat TMP,” said Asadullah.
After hearing the arguments, the court issued a restraining order and stopped the EC from re-arresting the accused. Furthermore, it directed Khattak to join the investigation in the instant case.
Khattak was the first person handcuffed by the newly-formed commission that aims to curb corruption in the province. During investigation it was revealed that Khattak was actively involved as the principal beneficiary of a 150-kanal land grabbing case in Moza Jarma area of Kohat. The land was approximately valued at Rs250 million. Khattak was joined by four others in the corruption, the commission had contended.
Later he was charged with illegal appointments in Town I and III. The PHC granted him bail on June 13. On August 5, a division bench of Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Roohul Amin Khan had restrained the EC from re-arresting Khattak in the illegal assets case.
Meanwhile, Gul has challenged the EC law stating that in the presence of two federal laws to clamp down upon corruption, there is no need to carry out parallel legislation at the provincial level. The high court has already clubbed all such cases questioning the commission and the law.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2015.
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