Sheikh Rashid challenges ACE’s summons in property case

Says ACE conduct sheer 'political victimization, without lawful purpose'; calls for summons to be declared illegal

LAHORE:

Pakistan Awami Muslim League founder Sheikh Rashid knocked on the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) doors on Thursday against the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s (ACE) summon in an inquiry that has “no legal effect”.

The politician, who also served as the interior minister during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tenure, maintained in his petition that the ACE’s conduct was “purely an act of harassment and wholly without jurisdiction”.

“The summons issued by the director Anti-Corruption Establishment be declared to be arbitrary wholly without jurisdiction and fraud on the statute, if may be held to be a sheer abuse of process of law and be struck down accordingly,” the plea submitted with the LHC read.

In his petition, Rashid stated that he had private holdings and lands fully declared through tax returns, and had entered into the sale agreement of the said land - measuring 149 kanals, situated in district Attock - for Rs670 million, with a private housing society named Royal Residencia Pvt. Limited.

He said he received Rs100 million in advance payment. The rest the amount was given at the time of the transfer of property in the name of the purchaser.

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According to the terms of the agreement, the petitioner was supposed to receive Rs570 million at the time of transfer within a period of one year, from February 23, 2021 to February 23, 2022.

The petitioner has not received the transfer amount as per the agreement, he maintained, adding that the purchaser had issued a cheque in his name that has not so far been encashed, despite the lapse of the one-year period.

He maintained that he has issued a final verbal notice to the buyer to fulfil the terms of agreement otherwise the petitioner reserves the right to file a civil suit.

“It was shocking to me that the respondent (anti-corruption establishment) has illegally unlawfully issued an impugned summon to me to appear before the respondent on July 15 regarding the above mentioned sale of land,” the petition stated.

Rashid argued that the ACE’s conduct was sheer political victimization and without lawful purpose.

He prayed to the court to declare the notice issued by the ACE illegal and set it aside.