ACE restrained from ‘harassing’ Sheikh Rashid in land case

Lahore High Court also issues notices to the officials concerned, seeking records of the case

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Farooq Haider on Friday restrained the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) from allegedly harassing Pakistan Awami Muslim League’s chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed a day after he challenged the anti-corruption watchdog’s summon in the court.

The court also issued a notice to officials concerned, seeking records of his land case by July 27.

The former interior minister in his petition had contended that the conduct of the ACE “is purely an act of harassment and wholly without jurisdiction”.

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

In his petition, Rashid had 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 of the amount was given at the time of the transfer of property in the name of the purchaser.

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.

Also read: Sheikh Rashid challenges ACE’s summons in property case

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 a 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 victimisation and without lawful purpose.

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