Brig (R) Imtiaz released on bail

LHC division bench directs authorities to release former director general of Intelligence Bureau.

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to release the former director general of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Brig retd Imtiaz Ahmad on his furnishing surety bonds worth Rs20 million.

The bench comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Justice Hameed Dar, accepted the bail plea of the former spymaster and adjourned the case till October 6. The appeal of the former head of Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC) Khawaja Adnan will also be heard on the same date.

The court also directed authorities to constitute a medical board to examine the health of the petitioner and furnish a report at the next date of hearing.

Imtiaz was taken into custody in the courtroom of the Supreme Court on Sept 19 when the court learned that his conviction of eight years, awarded to him in a reference in 2001, stood revived after the nullification of the National Reconciliation Ordinance. The court had also determined that Imtiaz did not have the protection of bail relief as he did not furnish the surety bonds against the bail awarded to him earlier by the Lahore High Court.

The petitioner’s counsel Maqsooma Bukhari submitted before the court that his client was 73 years old and suffered from coronary disease so he should be released on bail. Brig Imtiaz has undergone a bypass procedure. The NAB counsel, however, opposed the plea on the pretext that before his arrest, Brig Imtiaz showed no sign of illness as he was making regular appearance on different televisionshows.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.