Skill development project: PHC refers NGO corruption case to NAB

Orders the accused’s name be put on the Exit Control List.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday referred an embezzlement case to a judge of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with orders that the case be settled within 20 days.

A two-member bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali cancelled the bail application of accused Faseehuz Zaman, the former director of a Swiss-funded project accused of embezzling Rs27.65 million from funds meant for a skill development project.



The court then referred the case to NAB court judge Zarqaish Sani. If the case is not settled within 20 days, the accused will be released on bail for an amount equal to the reference and four surety bonds.

Faseeh’s counsel Malik Haroon Iqbal told the court that although NAB had filed a reference against his client, it could not provide sufficient evidence to support its case months after it emerged.

“The accountability court judge is leaving for Hajj in a few days thus my client should be granted bail,” said Iqbal.

After hearing the arguments, the PHC bench referred the case to NAB and further ordered that Zaman’s name be put on the Exit Control List

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2013.