Corruption accusations: NAB prevented from arresting forest secretary

Petitioner had ordered removal of encroachment from govt-owned land

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court extended a stay order and restrained National Accountability Bureau from arresting the petitioner, Galiyat Development Authority’s former DG, in a corruption case on Thursday. The court also directed NAB to submit a reply within

seven days.

Justice Irshad Qaisar and Justice Afsar Shah were hearing a petition filed by Syed Nazar Hussain Shah through his counsel Muhammad Asghar Kundi in a reference on embezzlement of GDA funds.

Petitioner’s counsel told the court Shah was serving as the DG before his appointment as forest secretary.  Kundi said according to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision, the petitioner ordered the removal of encroachment from government-owned land. The lawyer said the GDA launched an anti-encroachment drive based on directives from Shah and retrieved a large portion of government land.

Kundi told the court a notice was issued to Abida Rahman, the wife of GDA employee Dr Anis, who leased a plot and constructed a building beyond the given land. Several notices were issued but Rahman failed to respond.

Kundi stated, “The petitioner fulfilled his responsibility but in reaction, Dr Anis wrote a letter to NAB asking it to initiate a corruption enquiry against him.”

He requested the court to extend the stay order and restrain NAB from arresting the petitioner. He also requested the court issue a notice to NAB to clarify its position before the court. After hearing the arguments, PHC prevented NAB from arresting Shah and ordered it to file comments within seven days.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th,  2016.