IHC to hear Abdul Ghani's plea against NAB warrants in land encroachment reference

Citing personal reasons, Justice Athar Minallah recuses himself from the bench

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday admitted a petition seeking to declare null and void the arrest warrants issued by the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) against Omni Group’s Abdul Ghani Majeed, accusing him of land encroachment and corruption.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petition. Shortly after, however, Justice Minallah recused himself from the case citing personal reasons. The case will now be heard by Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani on February 18.



In January, the bureau issued arrest warrants against Abdul Ghani in a reference regarding to alleged encroachment over an amenity plot of storm-water drain Karachi. The anti-graft watchdog believes Abdul Ghani conspired with others to illegally encroach the land.

In the petition, he maintains that the warrants were based on “malafide surmises and conjectures”. He also claims that the anti-graft watchdog stepped beyond its “jurisdiction and nullity in the eye of law”. Abdul Ghani insists that he was falsely implicated by the Investigating Officer due to a “personal grudge and to harass and extort money”.

“The detention of an accused person first and foremost offends the fundamental rights to life and dignity guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 9 and 14,” the petition read. The petitioner prayed to the high court to suspend the warrants and sought relief to attain justice.



It may be mentioned here that Abdul Ghani Majeed is also among those being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a case pertaining to money laundering of billions through fictitious bank accounts.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) top leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur, the Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai, Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are also among the accused.

Abdul Ghani was first imprisoned at Karachi’s Malir jail before being moved to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Supreme Court orders in the fake accounts case.