Misappropriated funds: PHC rejects bail application of former WWB secretary

Tariq Awan’s counsel argues NAB has yet to produce reference .

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail application of the former secretary of Workers Welfare Board, Tariq Awan, who was arrested on charges of awarding scholarships to undeserving students and misappropriating funds during the procurement of equipment.

The division bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Malik Manzoor Hussain also dismissed the bail pleas of two other suspects in the case. They were project officer Abdul Waheed Qureshi and his partner Manzoor Ahmad Ghuri, who allegedly used fake company names and bypassed the genuine bidding process to supply substandard equipment at exorbitant rates.



Advocate Abdul Samad, the counsel for Tariq Awan, told the court the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) K-P arrested his client for corruption, but has yet to produce a reference after six months of detention.

He alleged that NAB’s claims of several complaints against his client were false and not a single one had been registered.

Samad added the prosecution witness had not shown any proof of embezzlement in his statements.

Meanwhile, Waheed Qureshi’s counsel Mian Mohibullah Kakakhel told the bench his client was a project officer and maintained a good reputation, adding there were no complaints regarding his dealings.

Also, Abdul Latif Afridi, the counsel for Manzoor Ghauri, pointed out that the suspect was the only one arrested from a seven-member procurement committee.

After hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the bail applications of all three suspects.

On April 20, K-P NAB arrested Tariq Awan for his alleged involvement in illegal appointments, ‘selling’ scholarships and the gross violation of rules in the acquisition of land for welfare projects for labourers.

The bureau authorised various enquiries which led to the arrest of Awan. A press release after his arrest stated that Tariq Awan recruited a number of people through an illegal process and awarded scholarships to ineligible persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2014.