Bail plea: Ziaullah’s case sent to another bench

Counsel says co-suspect Dr Liaqat Ali was granted bail

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday transferred the bail application of former provincial minister of mines and minerals department Ziaullah Afridi to another bench that had granted bail to former director general of the department in the same case.

A division bench, comprising Justice Qaiser Rasheed and Justice Ibrahim Khan, was told on Thursday that the applicant was arrested by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission.

Petitioner’s counsel Shumail Ahmad Butt said four references were filed against him but he was yet to be indicted. He said a co-suspect Dr Liaqat Ali was granted bail by another bench and therefore he should also be released.

The bench, after hearing the arguments, transferred the case to the bench of Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth. This bench had granted bail to Ali in the same case. Ziaullah’s case is likely to be heard after Eidul Azha.

Ziaullah was arrested on July 9 for misappropriation of billions of rupees through illegal mining. Later, EC registered two other cases against Ziaullah for illegal mining in Charsadda and Abbottabad.

The cases stated the minister was involved in illegal mining in Nowshera district and making unlawful appointments and transfers in the department during his tenure.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2016.