SECP data leak suspect moves court

IHC CJ Athar Minallah to hear petition on Saturday

ISLAMABAD:

One of the officials of the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) accused of leaking official data has moved the Islamabad High Court challenging the formation of an inquiry committee to probe into the matter.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will hear the petition filed by SECP Additional Director Arsalan Zafar on Saturday.

In the plea filed through his lawyer Sardar Taimoor Aslam, Zafar has maintained that an officer junior than him was appointed a member of the committee. Furthermore, he added, the committee did not give him time to respond to the allegations against him in accordance with the law.

The petitioner contended that the report presented by the committee on September 19 was based on baseless accusations.

He asked the court to declare the formation of the committee illegal and its report null and void.

He also pleaded that the show-cause notices issued to SECP officials on the basis of the report should be put off until the court decided the matter.

On September 23, the SECP had issued show-cause notices to senior officials in connection with the data leak.