Independent justice: PHC judge turns down hearing weapons scam case

Justice Musarrat Hilali says she is acquainted with one of the suspects.

PESHAWAR: A judge of the Peshawar High Court has excused herself from hearing a case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking the high court’s orders to arrest six high-ranking officials accused in a Rs7 billion weapons scam deal.

On Friday, a two-member bench comprising Justice Nisar Hussain Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali was informed by NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Jamil Saraf that the bureau had filed a corruption reference in an accountability court naming 10 suspects.

The six suspects whose arrest warrants are sought include former additional IGP and current Commandant Frontier Constabulary Abdul Majeed Khan, former additional IGP operations Abdul Latif Khan, DIG Central Police Office Sajid Ali Khan, former DIG headquarters Muhammad Suleman Khan, ex-AIG Establishment CPO Kashif Alam and former DIG Telecommunication Sadiq Kamal Orakzai, said Saraf.

Saraf further told the court that the accountability court has reserved its judgment regarding an application earlier filed by NAB asking the court to summon these suspects. The decision will be announced on June 2, however, NAB requires the high court to issue an arrest warrant before that judgment is announced, said Saraf.

On the other hand, Justice Musarrat Hilali argued that she was acquainted with one of the DIGs among the six suspects, and thus it would not be possible to deliver justice independently in the case.

It would be appropriate to present this case before another bench, said Justice Hilali.

The PHC bench then ordered that the case be presented before any of the other benches.

On March 22, an accountability court issued notices to four accused, including former IGP Malik Naveed, former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti’s brother Ghazan Hoti, his relative Raza Ali Khan and budget officer Javed Khan but declined to summon the remaining six suspects.

NAB has filed a Rs2.03 billion reference of corruption, naming 10 high-profile accused allegedly involved in the embezzlement which occurred while approving the contract for procuring weapons and other equipment for the police in 2008-10.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2014.